Easing the wall
A workshop to support the identity development of bicultural children
R.F.H. Tsai (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
Mathieu A. Gielen – Mentor (TU Delft - Codesigning Social Change)
Annemiek G.C. van Boeijen – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Form and Experience)
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Abstract
This project focuses on supporting bicultural children, ages 9-12, in navigating the early stages of cultural identity development. The goal is to help them preserve cultural pride and ease the experience of the "first wall," a critical phase where children begin to question their cultural identity. The process began with a literature review to explore the challenges of bicultural identity, followed by interviews with bicultural individuals to gain deeper insights. These findings informed the development of a user scenario highlighting the "first wall."
An analysis of existing products related to cultural identity was conducted, leading to the refinement of the project scope and the definition of a clear design goal. Workshops with primary school children were conducted to test concepts in both home and school settings, focusing on fostering cultural heritage preservation, empathy cultivation, and emotional reflection. Ideation sessions and testing informed the development of a final three-phase workshop toolkit designed for both environments. The toolkit encourages personal reflection at home and collective engagement at school, with tools like prompt cards, cultural activity photography, and interactive storytelling.
The project concludes with an evaluation of the toolkit's effectiveness and recommendations for future development, including enhancing AI capabilities and expanding community involvement to strengthen cultural engagement.