Abstract
In these projects, students use design thinking, study the impact of redlining on urban communities, raise their social awareness of the historical heritages of local places, and increase their information literacy. Projects are both student-centered and research-informed, as students create photobooks and data projects exploring the topics through data visualization to create visual stories that they share as presentations and exhibitions within the university. The assignments start with the 1940 HOLC map of New Britain, CT, old and current U.S. Census information, and a list of city neighborhoods supported by the resources in the university library. Project 1: Each student develops a route for a photo walk based on their research and takes photos that illustrate the design elements, principles, and characteristics of the communities. Students design and produce a photobook. Project 2: Students continue exploring the maps, images, census, and other data demonstrating the ways that social and economic policies shaped New Britain. Focus may include architecture, immigration, religion, poverty, crime rates, school funding, and changes within communities. Students create a large-format collage and an infographic showing their findings and connections. My presentation will show the progress and results of the projects and include portions of the class’s collective reel of the neighborhoods. This additional version of their projects allows students to combine contemporary tools with traditional printed design and develop graphic design skills. The results of student surveys rate what they have learned from this assignment and are also included.
Presenters
Peggy BloomerAssistant Professor, Graphic Information Design, Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
DesignThinking, RedLining, InformationLiteracy, SocialAwareness, DataVisualization, StudentCenteredLearning, ResearchInformedLearning, VisualStoryTelling
