This past Thursday, we had our first meeting of the fall semester. We began by reviewing the history of Curriculum Lab, conceived as a space for curricular conversation, creations, and connections. We find ourselves inspired by art, design, and public spaces that are so often curricular, and want to bring educators and curriculum scholars together with artists and designers into those conversations. We also discussed “Black Paint” -- the name Curriculum Design Lab goes by when we go out into the world to explore arts-based events and creative spaces -- and associations with Black Paint: absorption, disappearance, surface for writing and erasing. 

As we began sharing some of our current curricular projects, dilemmas we face as curriculum designers kept coming up. We wrestled with the tension between common sense expectations and practical needs surrounding curriculum and our own theoretical commitments and desires to do curriculum differently. As the conversation wrapped up, we wondered again: What does doing curriculum now mean to each of us? We have been pondering this question since our lives and work were uprooted by the pandemic. We invite you to share your reflections on this question in the continuing Padlet below and join us next week to contribute to the conversation.