If you polled the architecture and design field about who are the leading experts in using academic standards in design education, chances are the Chicago Architecture Foundation would be mentioned first.  Jean Linsner, Jennifer Masengarb, and the rest of the youth education department at CAF are always ahead of the curve when it comes to planning and creating innovated education programming and curriculum.

Since CAF hosted the 2009 AAO conference in Chicago, we were lucky enough to have Jean and Jennifer lead a session break-out session about this exact topic.  Participants rated their session as one of the highlights of the conference, and we're happy to be able to share some of that presentation with you today.  

Using Academic Standards in Design Education

Using academic standards in design education is not an oxymoron.  Academic standards can provide a framework for developing programs that meet the needs of teachers.  Learn strategies for demystifying state and national academic standards; making connections between your content area, target audience, and the standards; walk away with a plan for developing engaging and responsive programming.

Academic Standards Presentation

Using Academic Standards in Design Education Handout

Jean Linsner, Vice President of Youth Education, Chicago Architecture Foundation
Jean Linsner is responsible for the strategic development and supervision of CAF’s Youth Education Programs. Linsner is an expert in education program management for child and adult learners in both for-profit and not-for-profit settings. She is the co-author of CAF’s Schoolyards to Skylines: Teaching with Chicago’s Amazing Architecture. Linsner has been at CAF since 1999. She holds BA degrees in English and Telecommunications and an MS in Education from Indiana University.

Jennifer Masengarb, Education Specialist, Chicago Architecture Foundation

Jennifer Masengarb is Education Specialist at the Chicago Architecture Foundation and served as the author of CAF’s high school curriculum, The Architecture Handbook: A Student Guide to Understanding Buildings, awarded a 2009 national Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects.  She is also the primary author of Schoolyards to Skylines: Teaching with Chicago’s Amazing Architecture, CAF’s award-winning K – 8 curriculum. 

In 2000, Jen came to CAF with experience gained by working at architectural firms, by researching for historic structure reports, and in teaching high school English and history in Eastern Europe.  She holds a bachelor of architecture degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and a master's degree in architectural history from the University of Virginia.

This past November 5 -7, 150 people representing 92 organizations and 5 countries gathered together in Chicago to discuss new issues and ideas, to share with others who are engaged in the education of our youth and public about architecture and design, and to learn more about starting the public dialogue about the built environment. 

This was the first official gathering of AAO, which was held in conjunction with the annual A+DEN conference. AAO, whose mission is to foster the development of an alliance of like-minded non-profit organizations who educate the public about architecture and the built environment, will serve as a forum for national and international dialogue and the sharing of best practices, materials and ideas. AAO will have 7 special interest networks, ranging from Fundraising to Architecture + Design Education, and each will have it's own dedicated listserv and online resource center.  Both of these services and more will be launched in 2010 as AAO continues to grow and expand.

The AAO portion of the conference was held November 5 – 6, and the A+DEN gathering was November 6 – 7. There was overlap programming on November 6, which provided a valuable networking opportunity for both groups.  We'll be posting MP3's of some sessions, handouts and documents, and other tools and resources that were gathered during the conference.  Please be sure to come back often as we update the site!  You can also follow AAO on Flickr and Facebook, so please check the most recent photos and information at those sites as well!

If you are interested in learning more about AAO please contact Jill Perney at jperney@architecture.org, or at (312)922-3432 x. 260.

The conference was made possible through the generous support of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, and Target.        
    

AAO conference programming was presented by the Chicago Architecture Foundation and the Architectural League of New York.