Abstract:

Many design institutions around the world today are evaluating their curriculum to keep abreast with the 21st century technological changes. It is no surprise then that most design educators are focused on learning and introducing the new technology. It is unfortunate that while embracing technology, we are neglecting to observe the major social changes occurring right in front of our eyes. Our world as we knew it; is changing because of globalization. And although technology is connecting us to our global partners economically, we are miles apart in embracing our non-Western counter parts and dealing with their diverse peoples and their way of life. Countries like India and China are emerging as major economic powers, and their population is experiencing rapid economic growth. According to a UN report, approximately one billion people in the non-Western world should reach the middle-class income by 2010. The economic growth has stimulated the non-Western population’s need for a better living environment. Unlike the West, residential design and construction market in these non-Western countries is booming, requiring global design professionals’ services. Sadly, the Western design professionals and students know very little about non-Western people, their cultures, socio-religious traditions and how it impacts their built environment as most Western design programs still teach design from a Euro-Centric perspective, restricting their students’ professional and economic growth. Thus, it is imperative that design institutions prepare new generation of “global designers” who are not just “techno-savvy,” but can also provide culturally appropriate, sustainable design solutions for their diverse client base. But how can this massive shift happen if educators want to provide diverse perspectives in design education when there are not many non-Western teaching resources available? To respond to this need, the author initiated a unique research project and collaborated with many research scholars across the non-Western world to develop a unique textbook, and visual resources for the non-Western design traditions so that design educators around the world can introduce diverse perspectives in their Design curriculum.
In this paper, the author will discuss her collaborative research efforts to develop the above mentioned educational resources for the non-Western design traditions and share the goals of this project, her efforts to achieve these goals, discuss this textbook’s content development process and its organization, and the book development process. Author’s collaborative research efforts and experiences and the final outcomes will follow. How the new technology was utilized to facilitate these research collaborations across the globe will be discussed. The triumphs and turbulences of this process will be shared. In conclusion, the author will discuss how other educators can incorporate diverse perspectives in their teaching and if needed can innovate other means to develop much needed educational resources to educate future designers so that they are prepared to tackle the new global challenges.

Keywords:

Development of Educational Resources, Non-Western Design Traditions, Multi-Cultural Teaching Resources, Architecture and Interior Design.