Engagement and Impact: Design Thinking and the Arts
That computer mouse that fits so nicely in your hand, the way your iPhone reacts to your creative way of spelling, the “so simple why didn’t I think of that?” processes you encounter every day — these are the result of design thinking, a sequential process embraced by innovative companies and entrepreneurs. Design thinking, or human-centered design, is an empowering way to solve problems and design products and solutions by starting with discovery, moving on to ideation and rapid prototyping, then testing, and finally execution.
How can this high-level, innovative style of problem solving work in a classroom or after-school program? Quite well, actually. The West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) engages urban high school students in a best-practice after-school program that is grounded in design thinking. I’ll share our journey so that you can find ways to enhance your own learning environment through design thinking.
6 Steps to a Student-Created Mobile App
WMCAT teen students are working in teams to explore and tackle a pressing community issue using arts and technology as a basis for inquiry, critical thinking and practical application. Each team has 12 students, is guided by a professional teaching artist, and meets two days a week for the entire school year. Here’s the story of how one of these teams is using the design thinking process.
Our Interactive design team went all out with new technology to address how teens can better engage with their city’s downtown core. They partnered with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local software development firm Mutually Human to create a mobile app.
Step 1: Discover
Our teens toured downtown Grand Rapids with staff https://domyhomework.pro from DGRI, visited the offices of Mutually Human, interviewed teens about their perceptions of downtown, and researched other apps on the market.
Step 2: Ideate
Through intense brainstorming, the teens began to coalesce around two themes: zombies and spies!
Step 3: Experiment
The teens began prototyping by creating storyboards for their app. The basic premise was that users would follow a sequential adventure through which visiting key locations downtown would advance the action. Their storyboard was presented to DGRI.
Step 4: Create
All details of the app were developed, including color schemes, transitions, flow of screens, graphics and writing.
Step 5: Refine
The final storyboard and prototype will be presented to DGRI and at a public art exhibit to gain feedback. Feedback is used to refine the project and fine-tune details.
Step 6: Share
This summer, Mutually Human staff will help complete the back-end work on the app so that it can be available on mobile device platforms.
Why design thinking? WMCAT wanted to increase retention and high school graduation rates for our students. We learned through research and evaluation that we could have a greater impact by increasing engagement with a smaller group of students, rather than increasing the number of students coming through our doors. We also wanted to empower students to raise their voices and effect social change. After all, WMCAT is their space to find their voice and change the world in which they live.
Human-Centered Design
Design thinking and project-based learning surfaced as an essential model in innovative school redesign that improves students’ attitudes toward learning. One of the stars in project-based learning was High Tech High (HTH) in San Diego. The WMCAT Teen Arts team traveled to HTH to complete a residency with their staff on the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. Back in Grand Rapids, we also selected a team to complete a course in Human-Centered Design for Social Innovation from IDEO and Acumen. And then, last summer I was lucky enough to study at the famed d.school at Stanford, where I began to learn just how we could transform our program for teens.
After piloting design thinking as our pedagogy this past school year, we have learned a few things:
The best projects are student-driven and student-led. The more we engaged our teens in choosing their issues, selecting their partners and driving the conversation, the stronger the projects were.
Give students plenty of opportunities to complete mini design challenges along the way. This helped us teach art and tech skills, kept ideas fresh and retained student interest.
Keep giving staff the opportunity to learn and practice design thinking. This spring, our entire team is completing a Mixtape course designed by the d.school at Stanford and refreshing our skills through the IDEO and Acumen course again.
There are great resources out there. To learn more about our design teams and our plans for fall 2014 visit our website. And in the comments section below, please share how you use design thinking in the classroom or in after-school programs.
Engagement and Impact: Model Thinking and also the Arts
That mouse button that fits and so nicely in your own hand, the best way your iphone 4 reacts on your creative way of spelling, the “so basic why failed to I think of the particular? ” steps you come across every day — these are completing design contemplating, a continuous process embraced by modern companies and even entrepreneurs. Design and style thinking, and also human-centered model, is an empowering way to resolve problems as well as design units by starting with discovery, moving forward to to ideation and swift prototyping, then testing, retrieve balls execution.
Just how do this high-level, innovative kind of problem solving deliver the results in a college class or after-school program? Quite nicely, actually. Often the West Michigan Center with regard to Arts and Technology (WMCAT) engages elegant high school students in the best-practice after-school program that could be grounded within design thinking. I’ll write about our trip so that you can come across ways to enhance your own learning environment by means of design imagining.
6 Actions to a Student-Created Mobile Software package
WMCAT teen trainees are working on teams to learn and deal with a demanding community situation using activite and technological know-how as a basis for query, critical believing and practical application. Each crew has twelve students, is certainly guided by someone that installs systems professionally teaching artist, and matches two days 7 days for the entire institution year. Below is the story showing how one of these competitors is using the planning thinking course of action.
Our Online design team went radical with new-technology to address the best way teens can better build relationships their city’s downtown central. They partnered with Town center Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local computer software development solid Mutually Individuals to create a mobile phone app.
Action 1: Discover
Our teens toured down-town Grand Rapids with workforce from DGRI, visited the offices regarding Mutually Man, interviewed adolescents about their perceptions of in town, and looked at other apps on the market.
2: Ideate
Through strong brainstorming, the exact teens began to coalesce around two ideas: zombies plus spies!
Step: Experiment
The young people began prototyping by developing storyboards for app. The essential premise seemed to be that clients would adhere to sequential vacation through which checking out key destinations downtown will advance the action. Their storyboard has been presented towards DGRI.
Step 4: Create
All details of the instance were designed, including color schemes, transitions, circulation of window screens, graphics together with writing.
Step five: Refine
The final storyboard and principe will be introduced to DGRI and at some sort of public fine art exhibit to find feedback. Feedback is used that will refine the main project along with fine-tune specifics.
Step 6: Discuss
In this summer, Mutually Man staff can help complete the exact back-end focus on the software package so that it is usually available on cell phone device tools.
Why style and design thinking? WMCAT wanted to grow retention as well as high school commencement rates for our students. All of us learned by research in addition to evaluation that many of us could have a larger impact by increasing proposal with a smaller sized group of pupils, rather than escalating the number of learners coming by our entrances. We additionally wanted to persuade students to raise their voices and influence social change. After all, WMCAT is their whole space to uncover their voice and affect the world wherein they exist.
Human-Centered Model
Design thinking as well as project-based knowing surfaced as an essential version in excellent school redesign that increases students’ perceptions toward learning. One of the stars in project-based learning has been High Tech Great (HTH) in San Diego. The exact WMCAT Adolescent Arts squad traveled to HTH to complete any residency utilizing their staff within the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. Back Grand Rapids, we additionally selected some team to complete a course throughout Human-Centered The design of Social Advancement from IDEO and Flair. And then, last summer I had been lucky enough to study at the famed d. education at Stanford, where I began to know just how we could actually transform the program to get teens.
Subsequently after piloting model thinking when our pedagogy this past education year, we still have learned a number of things:
The best projects will be student-driven in addition to student-led. The proper we involved our teenage years in looking for their issues, selecting their particular partners as well as driving the particular conversation, the very stronger the very projects was.
Allow students plenty of opportunities to accomplish mini design and style challenges along the way. This given a hand to us educate art and even tech competencies, kept thoughts fresh plus retained pupil interest.
Keep providing staff possibilities to learn as well as practice style and design thinking. The following spring, our entire staff is filling out a Mixtape course designed by the deb. school for Stanford and also refreshing all of our skills from the IDEO along with Acumen course again.
There are great resources on the market. To learn more about some of our design groups and some of our plans regarding fall 2014 visit our website. And in the comments section down the page, please promote how you work with design considering in the classroom as well as in after-school programs.