Engage with Linda Keane | Place Based Literacy | 21st Design Literacy International Network event

Linda Keane | Place Based Literacy

In the September talk titled Place Based Literacy / Alfabetización Basada en el Lugar / 中文, Linda Keane will discuss pedagogical practices which aims to incorporate introduce future designers the importance of “place” where people (and animals, trees and flowers) live. The talk is based Linda and Mark Keane’s article titled  Design THIS Place: Built Environment Education . The article was presented at the 3rd International Conference for Design Education Researchers which was hosted in Chicago.

Keane suggests Place Making Pedagogies which she uses to support development of the Place Based Literacy can facilitate development of Citizen Designers. She argues that

most school students have been introduced to notions of rainforest depletion or glacier melting; yet most of these same students could not name the grasses, trees, birds, or insects on their school grounds nor tell the style of their house. Most walk or drive by buildings classifying them only as old, new, ugly or empty. This low level of engagement and understanding contributes to a dematerialization of urban fabric. It can be improved when schools adopt more critical and creative community connections.

She suggested that

Sense of place can be defined as a place with a purpose. It involves study of the ecological history of land, climate and human involvement over time. Investigating the current condition as context, it is essential for students to question its current state as relevant and appropriate for a sustainable future beyond the life of the classroom.

To support studnets engagement with places she has developed resources like these Site Analysis Worksheets (PDF 1.14Mb, other resources can be access on the NEXT.cc website).

The need for students learning to be relevant beyond classroom echos scholars such as Nielsen and Brænne (2013) and Lutnæs (2021) who argue for  students to develop critical relationship with the build environment, which was designed, constructed or perhaps left neglected, and how it is impacting on people and natural environment. They as other scholars articulate the importance of  being able to image alternative ways of being. Equally, Keane, argues that

placing value inculcates connection and the beginnings of an ethic of care. Armed with this experience, students better conceptualize the need for change and gain confidence in suggesting alternatives to what exists. … It is the right of every citizen to have access to quality environments. Engaging young
people in the very places in which they live and learn is essential for developing urban stewards.

Event recording in ENGLISH: