Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic constrained many people to spend most of their time at home to avoid spreading the virus. That meant staying away from offices, marketplaces as well as other public spaces, all environments where people frequently congregate. Home became the new office, the
new gym, and the new movie theater. Perhaps most substantially, however, home became the new classroom for students across the world and of all ages.
new gym, and the new movie theater. Perhaps most substantially, however, home became the new classroom for students across the world and of all ages.
This MFA research provides perspective from the lived experiences of middle school parents and guardians, teachers, as well as design professionals who worked in the field of education during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research adopts a co-design approach which involves the direct participation of these individuals through a series of interviews and collective visioning workshops.
The guidebook derived from this research draws from the lived experiences collected through primary research and provides resources to parents and guardians who are looking to learn how to adapt their homes in order to better provide the environments their child or children need for current or future home learning. Working through the guidebook’s process and activities can help parents and guardians better meet their child’s unique needs and help identify the resources children may need at home, all while better understanding them as a learner.
A full description of of the research process and findings can be found in the appendix (p106) of the guidebook.
Thesis Defense
For an in-depth walkthrough of the methods used and insights derived from this study, my full thesis defense presentation can be viewed here:
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