UPSTNY - Diversity Intiative

AIGA has many initiatives that cover many aspects of design and society. Our chapter has a few board members that reach out to the community with their knowledge and expertise. The goal is to make it a better place and design plays a significant role in achieving that goal.

Audrey Bennett is an UPSTNY board member and  professor of design at RPI in Troy, New York. Her research is an excellent example of how design can be incorporated in the topic of diversity. Here is a description of Audrey's research:

Here is a description of the current research project of Audrey Bennett and Ron Eglashand:

Culturally-Situated Design Tools for Learning Math

Our research has developed a suite of web applets called" Culturally Situated Design Tools" (CSDT). Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Dept of Education, and HUD, these applets are based on ethno mathematics: the mathematical knowledge embedded in cultural designs such as cornrow hairstyles, Native American beadwork, Latino percussion rhythms, and urban graffiti. CSDTs allow students to use these underlying mathematical principles to simulate the original cultural designs, create new designs of their own invention, and engage in specific math inquiries. The supporting materials for the CSDTs include lesson plans and evaluation instruments to ensure they are integrated into the curriculum through state and national standards. Based in K-12 schools with significant numbers of African-American, Latino, and Native American students (current locations include Alaska, California, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Utah), preliminary evaluations indicate statistically significant increase in both math achievement and attitudes toward technology-based careers.

If you have interest in being involved in diversity initiatives through design in your community. Please reply to this post. Let AIGA know what you are trying to achieve. We are here to help facilitate where we can.

Posted by newyorkupstate in News | February 2, 2009