Instructors Guide

Introduction

As more schools are opting for distance learning during the current pandemic, it's important to find a way to reconnect individual students with their community in a meaningful way. Design thinking gives students a way to connect to their community, control their environment and make a difference by solving a problem. Design thinking teaches empathy and empowerment. For educators, it does require taking a step back and letting the students direct themselves towards a solution. For students, the first time they undertake design thinking, they may need more direct monitoring, however, as they gain confidence, they will become more independent. This unit is designed for first time Design Thinkers, and so has a slightly heavier hand when it comes to the introductory problem and the stated goals for this unit.

*This project makes the assumption that instruction is taking place online through Zoom. This unit can be modified for any virtual learning platform or in a hybrid or face to face model.*

Old Method

College application in high school is often limited to an inspiring speech from a school counselor, encouragement to take the PSAT, SAT, SAT II, and ACT at least once if not multiple times, and possibly a "write a cover letter" assignment in English. Most knowledge of how to pick a school is handed down from family and other adults who have gone to college.

New "Design Thinking" Method

COVID-19 has completely disrupted the normal process college-bound students use to choose and apply for higher education. Overnight old standards like the Princeton College Review have become outdated because the questions that prospective students are asking have changed. How has it changed? What are the new questions, issues, and aspects of choosing a college that students need to know? Instead of taking the old standardized tests (no longer required), beefing up on volunteer experience (currently impossible), or trying for that sports scholarship (sports are cancelled), what should students focus on for their applications? Starting with these issues, students will use design thinking to problem solve, learning to research, design, and implement a solution that not only benefits themselves, but other students around the country.

*Note that assessment in this unit is not as structured as "old method" behaviorist teaching models. The purpose of design thinking is to give the students the freedom to direct their work, educators move to a mentoring position. Assessment throughout the project is to evaluate input and the collaborative process.*

Goals and Objective created by adults:

Major Objectives of the design thinking to be accomplished:

Content Objectives

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Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

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Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

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Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Process Objectives

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Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

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Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

Co-Assessments for Each Objective

Assessment is difficult in design thinking because most learning over-values the end product rather than the process. Design thinking is about the process. Using the following roadmap developed by education first, students and educators can monitor progress and assess their progression throughout the process.

Other Objectives to Watch

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Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Essential Questions

Starting with questions posed by the co-teachers:

What are the new questions, issues, and aspects of choosing a college that students need to know? Instead of taking the old standardized tests (no longer required), beefing up on volunteer experience (currently impossible), or trying for that sports scholarship (sports are cancelled), what should students focus on for their applications?

Students will explore, create, and define the essential questions they intend to solve with an informative website.

Design Thinking Model

Quick Overview of Learning Activities

Step 1a: Empathy Creation and Introduction of the problem

Activity: Introduce or remind students about the Design Thinking Model. They will be using this style of learning to solve a problem. Introduce the problem - choosing and applying for college has changed, how do we choose the right school and how do we prepare ourselves for the application process?

Cotaught Responsibilities: During the discussion, one teacher will record answers on the digital whiteboard or moderate while students supply their own answers. The other teacher will answer student questions and make suggestions to lead the students towards a solidified problem statement.

Assessment: Student participation, engage in conversation

Step 1b: Continue the Engagement stage: Guide groups from the formulation of a problem and identify the essential research questions

Activity: Develop plan for research. Break into groups in breakout rooms to research the issues. Each group looks at 1-3 of the following ways students have traditionally chosen schools: Princeton College Review, decide by major, appeal of campus, cost, location, requirements for admission, [insert more ideas here].

Cotaught Responsibilities: Moderate discussion. Instructors should take turns visiting breakout rooms to check in with students, give assistance answering questions or developing research questions.

Assessment: Evaluate student input, recommendations are insightful,

Step 2: Define and Ideate the Problem: Discover additional information, user research

Activity: Groups interview other students to see what they want to know about colleges, find out what they are looking for, how they are thinking about making their choices. Research colleges, how are they adapting to distance learning - admissions, distance learning, $$$? Students will take audio/video recording (or typed transcripts of interview), screenshots of college admission webpages, questionnaires and responses. Students will post their research to a shared group Google Drive.

Cotaught Responsibilities: Work with students to develop interview/questionnaire questions, address student issues/problems, monitor progress and provide encouragement

Assessment: Extensive research, present ideas effectively, have responses in multiple media formats

Step 3: Ideate and Prototype: A compare notes activity

Activity: Regroup as a class. Share research. Use research to create thematic groupings and plan how the website should look. Create content from interviews and research in short videos, podcast, infographics, and written format.

Cotaught Responsibilities: One instructor monitors/moderates the digital whiteboard as students contribute ideas and thematic organizational delineations, the other instructor assesses student involvement and encourages participation of all students.

Assessment: Student participation, creation of overarching themes, development of prototype website.

Step 4: Prototype and test the new system: Culmination of the unit.

Activity: Create a website that collates this information for students who are unsure about how to choose a school. Test website on friends, family, another class. Website goes live.

Cotaught Responsibilities: Monitor and mentor student input, provide assistance in digital/website technologies

Assessment: Creation of functional website, participation of students in collaborative process.

Step 5: The Big Think

Activity: So What? Review the decision process. Continue to update the website with current information and resources. Allow students to identify learning outcomes for the project based on experience. Think about what we have learned and what more can be explored through similar research methods? What now? Apply this model to a new problem determined by the students.

Cotaught Responsibilities: Supervise and mentor students as they discuss what they have learned, one educator monitors digital whiteboard while other teacher guides discussion.

Assessment: New problem for student-directed learning is chosen.

Assessment "Roadmap"

Design thinking can be a challenge for educators who are used to assessing student progress through assignments and exams. Asking students to self assess can also cause more confusion. Below is a design thinking roadmap to help both educators and students proceed through the assessment process as they complete the unit.

Defense

Design thinking is an excellent way to problem solve and as a pedagogical technique it offers many advantages over traditional behaviorist teaching. Sometimes called "constructivist learning in action" (Sheer et al.), this form of teaching allows for students to feel involved with the subject matter, because they can see how it directly relates to them, their lives, and the world around them. It encourages empathy, creativity, innovation, collaboration and engagement. As design thinking is used in a variety of fields and businesses, it is a 21st century skill that will extend beyond the classroom.

For further reading

Luka, I. (2020). Design Thinking in Pedagogy. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 5(2), 63-74. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20142.63.74

Sheer, A., Noweski, C. & Meinel, C. (2012). Transforming Constructivist Learning into Action: Design Thinking in Education. Design and Technology Education, 17(3), 8-19.