Abstract
This paper explores the use of design skills—perspective taking, collaboration, solution mindset combined with the Design Studio approach as a means to prevent discrimination and hate among youth, and to cultivate pluralist values. Along with design skills it further explores the application of Design Studio approach to building pluralist competencies of fairness and inclusion, intercultural literacy, interpersonal communication and collaboration, solution mindset, resilience and efficacy in middle and high school students. The rise of digital mediums and ubiquitous unfiltered media, with the chaotic political climate of the last few years, schools and college campuses have seen an uptick in hate crimes (FBI, 2017) and discrimination against the minorities (SPLC, 2017). This problem requires creative and preventive measures, which this paper proposes in the form of a social venture teaching pluralism by utilizing design skills and design studio approach of learning. The Design Studios approach also referred to as PBL (project-based learning) allows students to learn by experiencing a new phenomenon, reflecting upon it, conceptualizing the experienced into new knowledge and then applying it to further their knowledge (Kolb, 1984). Thus, making Design Studio the right approach for teaching skills that require critical thinking (Riess & Neporent, 2018) and behavior change. The paper outlines the design and development of the social venture by using the Design Innovation Process Model (Kumar, 2003) of research, analysis, synthesis, and prototyping; 1) the need for pluralist competencies, 2) the design and development of the learning modules and 3) service delivery and eco-system.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Project based learning, Design methods, Extremism prevention, Design for society
