Future Experiences- ‘E-Cycle’
The issue I wanted to deal with when tasked with designing a sustainable development for the future Global South was the exponentially growing amount of electronics in landfills, also called ‘e-waste’. This map shows the amount of e-waste (per capita) produced in each African country, as well as the state of e-waste regulations in that country.
E-Cycle- 'The E-Waste Boys'
In Ghana young men burn e-waste to extract valuable metals from rubber and plastic housings, an extremely toxic and dangerous process. The estimated value of e-waste sitting in landfills globally is 60 billion euros.
E-Cycle- 'Repair Knowledge'
Repairmen in Africa create agency, by turning trash into tech, and fixing electronics. They are the keepers of repair knowledge.
E-Cycle- 'Expert Input'
Speaking to the experts about what I’ve learned about e-waste from my desktop research. I spent the previous day disassembling as much e-waste as I could get my hands on to better understand the ease of disassembly as well as the salvageability of the components
E-Cycle- 'Creating a Cycle
E-Cycle is a brand that employs local repairpersons and other community members, who repair tech and teach workshops with the goal of closing the e-waste cycle, and keeping valuable resources out of the landfill.
Self-Initiated Project- 'Teaching Critical Thinking'
For my self initiated project I decided to look into critical thinking in public education from the point of view of the teacher.
Teaching Critical Thinking- 'Educator Interviews'
I interviewed dozens of educators of all different levels, private and public. Two common themes appeared; the overuse of standardized testing, and lack of teacher/student autonomy.
Teaching Critical Thinking- 'Making Sense of Insights'
I gathered all of the insights that I gained from my desktop research/interviews, and plotted it onto a chart, so I could understand how different elements of nursery, primary, and secondary could be better tailored to nurture critical thinking.
Teaching Critical Thinking- 'A Prototype Mockup'
My latest prototype for a final design is a small booklet that helps teachers nurture and support the critical thinking abilities of their students.