Design Issues Group Annual Report, 2011 The Design Issues Group held their annual meeting at the

NAEA conference in Seattle. The informational part of the meeting was an update on the Position Statement about Design Education to the Delegates Assembly. In the National Visual Arts Standards found on the NAEA website within About Us is the DEFINITION OF VISUAL ARTS. The definition includes fine and craft arts, as well as design, which is the focal point of this grant. Visual Arts, as defined by the National Art Education Association, include the traditional fine arts such as drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture; communication and design arts including film, television, graphics, product design; architecture and environmental arts such as urban, interior, and landscape design; folk arts; and works of art such as ceramics, jewelry, works in wood, paper, and other materials. The overall sensibility of the Delegates Assembly at their annual meeting in April, 2011, was that NAEA acknowledges the teaching of design through this formal statement. In addition, as stated by Board President Patricia Franklin, While a formal position statement may not be necessary, the Board also acknowledges both the prominence of design in the US general public as well as internationally and the need to clearly communicate to audiences external to the field that the teaching of design is part of a coherent visual arts education. The definition of design is articulated in a NAEA white paper: Design is the application of knowledge and skills to intentionally shape and create messages, things, places, and experiences that are useful, practical and aesthetic. Design education engages students in processes, products, histories, and critical sensibilities associated with design. Design education involves students in interdisciplinary problemsolving that draws upon the sciences and humanities to address both present and anticipated problems, questions, and issues. The business side of the agenda covered The organizational structure of DIG and officers, Updating the membership list and listserv, Membership dues and DIG sponsorships, K-12 schools that have design as a curricular base and Higher education art ed programs that include the teaching of design, and Creating the DIG website. Planning for NYC 2012: Deb Greh, conference director for 2012, asked that DIG members make some suggestions for the upcoming conference. We generated a list of ideas, some of which were looked into and some of which may be used in the future:

Keynote speakers: Bill Moggridge, a founder of the design firm IDEO who is widely credited with designing the first laptop computer in 1980, is now Director of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum; Ellen Lupton, curator at Cooper-Hewitt, faculty at MICA, writer of many books Visits: Hold a workshop at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (this did not pan out because the museum is undergoing renovation); Visit the NYC Contemporary Museum of Design; NYC Design studio tours/lectures on site; NYC New Visions School; Quest to Learn School: GameBased Curriculum (learning design principles). Katie Salen, Director of the School, Eric Zimmerman (son of Enid Zimmerman & Board Member) Invite Designers to attend conference: Bring more practicing designers to speak (What about Kevin Gatta, who just authored the new Davis Communicating Through Graphic Design textbook. hes in Brooklyn) Invite design students from Pratt and other design program to present projects.they dont have to be NAEA members Extend invitations to University Design Departments and other design associations : AIA, AIGA, GAG IDSA etc to invite them to support NAEA in the teaching of design aesthetics in K-12 schools. Future Idea: The major idea that came to fruition is the Classroom Design Consultation Workshop. We hope to make this an annual event. This is an open session for 2 hours in order to give consultations on classroom design and lessons that would involve students in classroom and interactive exhibit design. Within this workshop, we will have 5 stations: Classroom Design Consultation, Interior designers will advise you on new colors, equipment and furniture arrangement, lighting, and organization, etc.; Interactive exhibits for your room, creating immersive learning environments - textbooks turned into interactive exhibits by students as a means of learning and evaluation of learning; Lesson Plans for Interior Design, Learn the basics of how to teach interior design to K12 and future art teachers. Lesson plans will be given to participants; Resources and DIY projects, ideas for Do It Yourself projects to make storage compartments, tools for students with special needs, and resources for working with ELL students; Design Standards for School Art Facilities publication, an overview of the updated booklet coming out in summer 2012 on the requirements for planning art facilities,

including safety, equipment and space, and having a barrier free environment for students. Respectfully submitted, Robin Vande Zande