Promoting Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development for Vulnerable Groups Through Co-creative Workshop

Conference: The Asian Conference on Education (ACE2022)
Title: Promoting Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development for Vulnerable Groups Through Co-creative Workshop
Stream: Education, Sustainability & Society: Social Justice, Development & Political Movements
Presentation Type: Virtual Presentation
Authors:
Tanhao Gao, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, China
Jingwen Tian, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, China
Xiaotong Zhang, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, China
Hongtao Zhou, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, China

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the world's operating system and inflicted a heavy psychological burden on inhabitants. At the same time, vulnerable groups such as the visually impaired are systematically ignored, whose daily lives and emotions are more severely affected by the pandemic. Sustainable and adaptive design is not limited to inanimate elements such as land, sea, transportation, or materials; living beings are valuable social resources that deserve revitalization by sustainable design thinking. The visually impaired groups have a more remarkable ability to hear and touch than general individuals. They can be the creators and truly engage in the decision-making process. Consequently, in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, alleviating the alienation of vulnerable groups and letting them participate in social life with equality and dignity is not only a significant step forward for social inclusion but also nurtures the potential to foster further innovation in design and education. Through literature review, case study, and field research, this study identifies bottlenecks and potential directions for improvement in sustainable and inclusive design for disadvantaged groups. It also uncovers a series of design strategies to promote adaptive social participation and education of vulnerable groups. Finally, this paper shows a co-creation workshop that makes design decisions together with disadvantaged groups. Eliminating the prejudice between communities by accommodating different stakeholders to feel, discuss and create together, allowing vulnerable groups to participate in social life equally and dignity, and creating a sustainable and resilient society in the post-COVID-19 period.

---

Conference Comments & Feedback

Place a comment using your LinkedIn profile


Share this Presentation