TEACHING AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE
I approach teaching as an experiential and participatory practice, using multiple modes of engagement, including play, material exploration, and facilitated dialogue, to scaffold learning. Rather than positioning knowledge as something delivered, I design environments where students actively construct understanding through experience, reflection, and iteration.
This approach is structured through the Experience-Reflect-Create (ERC) framework, supporting the development of both socio-emotional awareness and design capability.
VISITING FACULTY: OPEN ELECTIVE- NID BANGALORE
December 2024
Open Elective Theme- Cultures of Care
Elective name: Blurring Boundaries Through Play
M.Des. 2nd Semester Students
B. Des. 4th Semester Students
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Designed and facilitated a play-based elective exploring inclusivity through lived experience, reflection, and making
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Introduced play as a lens to examine social, cultural, and emotional boundaries, and how they shape design
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Enabled students to experience → reflect → create, using games as both a medium and method for learning
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Mentored students in translating personal and collective insights into inclusive design outcomes
Themes Explored:
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Nostalgia & Development
Exploring childhood games to understand developmental needs (physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, and creative), and reinterpreting them for inclusivity -
Versatility of Play
Investigating the multiple meanings and contexts of “play” and analysing how game mechanics shape player experience -
Social Interaction through Play
Examining how games mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics influence collaboration, competition, and player behaviour, and inclusion and exclusion -
Cultural Contexts of Play
Understanding how play reflects cultural values, identities, and social norms, and how games can bridge socio-cultural differences -
Materiality & Narrative in Play
Exploring how materials, sensory experiences, and storytelling influence engagement, meaning-making, and emotional connection in games
Workshop Output:
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6 Inclusive games
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Each game successfully demonstrated how play can address social and emotional dimensions by fostering connection, problem-solving, and collaboration.
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Participatory teaching methods that integrate play-based learning with co-reflection and co-creation exercises can create learning-rich environments where players experience, reflect, and act on inclusivity, ensuring meaningful design outcomes.
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"Introducing Inclusivity Through Play: Blurring Societal Boundaries for Designers"
Lodha, A., Kalai, P., & Das, S. (2025). INTRODUCING INCLUSIVITY THROUGH PLAY: BLURRING SOCIETAL BOUNDARIES FOR DESIGNERS. DS 137: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE 2025), 349–354. https://doi.org/10.35199/EPDE. 2025.59 -
Best Presentation (Student) Award at the 27th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE 2025)
TEACHING ASSISTANT: DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN, IIT GUWAHATI
2024- PRESENT
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Led end-to-end curriculum planning and course structuring
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Developed lecture content, including concept framing, examples, and learning flows
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Prepared detailed lecture scripts and session plans
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Designed weekly assignments and evaluation components
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Created assessment materials, including question papers and grading frameworks
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Supported course delivery through content coordination and instructional planning
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Featured in the Expert Interview Lecture 26
Introduction to Toy Design- M.Des Semester 4
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Delivered lectures bridging 'Theories of Play' and 'Developmental Needs in Children and Play' with design practice
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Facilitated experiential learning through gameplay, enabling students to critically reflect on inclusivity and mechanics
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Guided hands-on exploration of materials and mechanisms through toy disassembly and redesign exercises
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Supported and mentored group projects, helping shape ideas, processes, and outcomes
Introduction to Design- B.Tech. 2nd Year Students
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Delivered lectures on Elements and Principles of Design, Evolution of Design, and Colour Interaction
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Supported course delivery through assisting in lectures and facilitating classroom discussions
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Designed assignments and assessment materials, including tests and evaluation criteria
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Guided student group projects, providing feedback on concept development, visual thinking, and design articulation
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Evaluated student work and contributed to academic assessment processes
15.5 of 30 hrs, 12 modules
Lecture content:
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Play Theories (Attributes and Scales of Play, categories and types of Play)
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Theoretical Perspectives on Play (Psychoanalytic Theory by Freud, Cognitive Developmental Theory by Piaget, and Sociocultural Theory by Vygotsky)
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Toy design definitions and classifications
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History of Toy Design
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Toy Design Hall of Fame
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Traditional Indian Toys
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Toy Trends
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Toy Design Process (User and Customer Needs + Research Methods + Safety Standards)
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Costing and Pricing
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Branding and Marketing of Toys
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Case studies
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Macramé Workshop- Exchange Students from Gifu University, Japan
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Designed and facilitated a hands-on macramé workshop for international exchange students
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Developed a structured workshop booklet with step-by-step diagrams and space for documenting explorations
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Introduced foundational knotting techniques and guided participants through material and process learning
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Supported participants in translating skills into a finished product, encouraging experimentation and individual expression
VISITING FACULTY: NID AHMEDABAD
August 2023
Geometry and Structure
M.Des. 3rd Semester (Furniture and Interior Design)
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Supported course delivery by translating faculty briefs into clear, actionable assignments for students
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Facilitated studio learning by guiding students in interpreting expectations, processes, and outcomes
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Assisted in aligning conceptual understanding of geometry and structure with practical design applications
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Provided feedback and mentorship during assignment development and execution
