Sparked by a keynote speech by Kim Goodwin at Interaction 09 last year, students Derek Chan, Carmen Dukes, and Katie Koch recently embarked on a self-initiated project to bring a design education program to New York City schools starting in fall 2010.
In their latest stage of research and exploration, the team met with Katherine Schulten, editor of the Times Learning Network for some advice. Katherine recommended the team to begin their study in a K-12 classroom, and start by observing the teachers and how they engage students. She shared her own “secrets” of engagement including “hands-on” activities, as well as finding ways to make classroom materials relevant for students to connect on an emotional level.
To follow this project from development to implementation, visit the Interaction Design Education project blog. Find out more about the inspiration behind the initiative, and why it’s important for the design industry at Derek Chan’s blog.