PLJ Design and relating it to the classroom/ change in learning

The chapter in Daniel Pink’s novel, "A Whole New Mind" explores the principles of his common theme abundance. Abundance references a large surplus as instituted by overproduction of similar products. One byproduct of this phenomenon is another discussed term christened “design”. Because of the abundance of strikingly similar products, companies are now hammered into art plants instead of production plants. The world has evolved to the point where functionality is instantly guaranteed; now right-brain design has become the dominant feature in a multitude of products and practices as well. Personally, I would consider Design one of the most decisive aspects of life on earth today. Businesses are constantly in hot water, especially if they haven’t employed right- brained designers to enhance the beauty of products. Here’s an example: Daniel Pink specifically states that presently, more automobiles exist than the entire population of the world. What does this signify? The answer is overproduction. Why is there an excess of autos? Because of abundance. This abundance must be suppressed by incorporating attractive design into merchandise.
Businesses today are fueled by design; the ones which are incapable of selling cars (as an example) are driven out. People don’t purchase a new car for functionality because utility is automatically included; the product needs to be complimented with other attractive accessories and appendages.
Personally, seven months ago, I invested in a new bicycle. Why did I select the one I did; because of the color and a neat little spring present under the seat? The bicycle that I owned prior to that more modern one was perfectly fine in condition. It was fully capable of navigating, riding and enjoying, yet the more modern cycle earned my approval because of its accessories. This was the sole response to abundance – design. When overproduction results in a large surplus, the only rational response available is to produce a product that is unique, not simply operational, but also attractive! What distinguishes a winning product from an inferior, its all design! Design has even squirmed its way into classrooms. Take the English class I am composing this essay in. I owe my ability to work on this assignment during class to one sole aspect of design, a laptop computer. Previously, paper and pencils became the norm for education. Recently, a designer formulated an idea in response to the ineffective (for some students like me) conservative manners by which Arapahoe’s classrooms operated. They introduced laptops because it was an effective DESIGN. Designs are not limited to the physical components of life; they can also assume the form of an idea, or something mental. The designer who devised this plan to incorporate the laptops was visualizing the benefits of learning, or a non material thing, but even though learning is not considered “real”, it’s still considered design. A laptop, as previously discussed, is infinite in capability and visually advantageous over orthodox customs. I, with the presence of laptops in class am capable of much more when compared to past methods. The laptop has unlocked new potentials, new information, and resources; I can type faster, convey material more effectively (due to the mass of information online), and devote less time to smaller details the computer automatically mends. I am therefore more efficient, more independent (because the Internet is almost like a teacher), and significantly more capable of performing. The laptop has certainly been adopted due to its revolutionary design, and as a byproduct, the student monitoring the machine has definitely benefited! Analyzing my learning as a whole, I would classify myself as a visual learner. On numerous tests and quizzes administered in my previous English class, I scored a greater average when the assignment involved a computer (visually oriented in the learning spectrum). Computers have obvious advantages over traditional teaching methods and have won my admiration because of their revolutionary design!