In middle school and high school, I would spend hours meticulously editing the layout of my Tumblr page, changing colors and fonts as I saw fit, and reposting only the things that represented me or who I wanted to be. As I grew older, I left the world of Tumblr behind, but continued creating ~aesthetic~ online resources through school presentations and project websites, and eventually, a portfolio site as I applied to my first teaching positions. I felt deeply excited when I could use my passion for creativity to make something that would actually help me accomplish something in real life, and continued to create detailed presentations for my students to engage them in the content we learned.
youDesign is an in-person workshop that teaches skills related to creative website building aimed at middle schoolers. It encourages them to embrace their creativity and explore unique design elements, but also teaches them to do this with purpose, whether that be for a more formal portfolio or a ‘day in my life’ blog. Ideally, the design skills they learn will be applicable for a variety of future creative projects.
The workshop is centered around the participants – they will create what they want to, with no specific end product in mind. It also encompasses many aspects of the constructivist approach – the learners are actively engaging in the skills being taught, collaborating with one another through a variety of activities, applying their skills to practical situations, and reflecting on the process throughout.
