Food and Power, taught by Professor Susanne Freidberg, focuses on how different kinds of power relations shape food production, distribution and consumption in and between different parts of the world. It starts from the premise that those power relations shape not just material processes - how people farm, what and how well they eat - but also the meanings and knowledge attached to food. To enhance student learning, Professor Freidberg created a new course module centered on popular menu items offered by Dartmouth Dining Services (DDS).
The "ReMenu Project" asked small student groups to redesign DDS menu items, drawing on research related to the course themes. The students used a design software called Figma to create the designs. The assignment was spread throughout the term so that the students would have time to prototype, gather feedback, and revise their designs.
The project allowed students to integrate what they were learning in class, by thinking deeply about what kind of information they wanted to convey and how to convey it on their “new” DDS menu. Professor Freidberg also shared,
“I learned a lot from creating the assignment—and it was a great impetus for revisiting how I design my own syllabi.”