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Weekly Design Challenge

K-5

Middle School

High School

Schools

Measurement Unit

Safety

Resources

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process which seeks to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. The method that I uses consists of the image below:

ADST

Applied Design

Understanding Context & Empathy

Gather information about or from potential users

Defining

Choose a design opportunity
Identify key features or user requirements
Identify the main objective for the design and any constraints

Ideating

Generate potential ideas and add to others’ ideas
Screen ideas against the objective and constraints
Choose an idea to pursue

Prototyping

Outline a general plan, identifying tools and materials
Construct a first version of the product, making changes to tools, materials, and procedures as needed
Record iterations of prototyping

Testing

Test the product
Gather peer feedback and inspiration
Make changes and test again, repeating until satisfied with the product

Making

Construct the final product, incorporating planned changes

Sharing

Decide on how and with whom to share their product
Demonstrate their product and describe their process
Determine whether their product meets the objective and contributes to the individual, family, community, and/or environment
Reflect on their design thinking and processes, and their ability to work effectively both as individuals and collaboratively in a group, including their ability to share and maintain a co-operative work space
Identify new design issues

Applied Skills

Use materials, tools, and technologies in a safe manner, and with an awareness of the safety of others, in both physical and digital environments

Identify the skills required for a task and develop those skills as needed

Applied Technologies

Use familiar tools and technologies to extend their capabilities when completing a task

Choose appropriate technologies to use for specific tasks

Demonstrate a willingness to learn new technologies as needed

Overview: What is ADST? (video)

Extra Information: https://designthinkingforeducators.com/

First principles of instruction

McCarthy 4-MAT Cycle of Learning (McCarthy, 1996)

First principles of instruction

1. Build readiness.

2. Form and norm groups.

3. Determine a preliminary problem definition.

4. Define and assign roles.

5. Engage in an iterative collaborative problem- solving process.

6. Finalize the solution or project.

7. Synthesize and reflect.

8. Assess products and processes.

9. Provide closure. (Nelson, 1999, Table 11.2, p. 258)

First principles of instruction

Shank’s (Schank et al., 1999) model was clearly problem-centered with a very strong emphasis on the application phase of instruction. In this model there was limited emphasis on activation and demonstration and, while integration was certainly the goal, there was very little in the model to direct the integration process per se. “GBS [goal-based scenario] is a learn-by-doing simulation in which students pursue a goal by practicing target skills and using relevant con- tent knowledge to help them achieve their goal”

FIRST PRINCIPLES

(p. 165). “There are seven essential components of a GBS: the learning goals, the mission, the cover story, the role, the scenario operations, the resources, and the feedback, including coaches and experts” (p. 173).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoHm5AXeYYQ (engineering)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEeTLopLkEo (women in engineering)

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