Engagement and Impact: Design Thinking and the Arts
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 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 http://www.essaywriterusa.com/ 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 in addition to Impact: Model Thinking and also the Arts
That sensitive mouse that fits therefore nicely inside your hand, exactly how your iPhone reacts for a creative strategy for spelling, often the “so easy why do not I think of their? ” operations you appear every day — these are completing design contemplating, a sequenced process gone along with by progressive companies in addition to entrepreneurs. Design and style thinking, or maybe human-centered layout, is an empowering way to answer problems plus design products and solutions by you start with discovery, moving on to ideation and speedy prototyping, subsequently testing, and ultimately execution.
Just how do this high-level, innovative style of problem solving give good results in a class or after-school program? Quite well, actually. The exact West Mich Center with regard to Arts & Technology (WMCAT) engages in-town high school students in a best-practice after-school program that is certainly grounded in design planning. I’ll discuss our vacation so that you can uncover ways to enhance your own figuring out environment by way of design planning.
6 Tips to a Student-Created Mobile Application
WMCAT teen learners are working around teams to learn and take on a urgent community issue using arts and systems as a point of view for request, critical contemplating and program. Each staff has twelve students, is definitely guided by someone that installs systems for a living teaching specialit, and fits two days per week for the entire class year. Let me provide the story showing how one of these organizations is using the design thinking practice.
Our Fun design crew went too far with new technology to address the way in which teens may better engage with their city’s downtown major. They combined with In the downtown area Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local applications development firm Mutually Real human to create a mobile phone app.
1: Discover
Our adolescence toured town center Grand Rapids with employees from DGRI, visited the very offices for Mutually Individuals, interviewed teenage years about their awareness of downtown, and checked out other software on the market.
Step: Ideate
Through intensive brainstorming, the main teens did start to coalesce close to two subjects: zombies along with spies!
3: Experiment
The adolescence began prototyping by developing storyboards for app. The usual premise ended up being that owners would follow a sequential vacation through which checking out key spots downtown might advance the action. All their storyboard ended up being presented towards DGRI.
Step 4: Create
All information on the app were engineered, including color schemes, transitions, move of fire screens, graphics plus writing.
Step 5: Refine
The final storyboard and modele will be introduced to DGRI and at a public craft exhibit to achieve feedback. Feed-back is used so that you can refine the very project along with fine-tune specifics.
Step 6: Talk about
Come early july, Mutually Individuals staff can certainly help complete typically the back-end work towards the iphone app so that it will be available on cell phone device advertising networks.
Why layout thinking? WMCAT wanted to improve retention in addition to high school college rates for the students. We tend to learned by research and evaluation that any of us could have an increased impact simply by increasing engagement with a small group of learners, rather than improving the number of students coming through our entrance doors. We additionally wanted to encourage students to boost their suggests and influence social transform. After all, WMCAT is their space to look for their tone and change the world that has they survive.
Human-Centered Design
Structure thinking as well as project-based studying surfaced being an essential design in modern school revamp that enhances students’ thinking toward understanding. One of the megastars in project-based learning seemed to be High Tech Excessive (HTH) throughout San Diego. The WMCAT Adolescent Arts company traveled to HTH to complete some sort of residency utilizing their staff in the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. Back Grand Rapids, we furthermore selected your team to perform a course within Human-Centered Design for Social Development from IDEO and Perspicuousness. And then, latter summer I used to be lucky enough to examine at the a well known d. classes at Stanford, where I began to learn about just how we could actually transform the program pertaining to teens.
Following piloting model thinking as our pedagogy this past education year, we have learned a few things:
The most beneficial projects will be student-driven in addition to student-led. The more we in place our teenage years in choosing their matters, selecting most of their partners and driving the main conversation, the actual stronger the projects were being.
Deliver students a good amount of opportunities to accomplish mini design and style challenges at the same time. This given a hand to us coach art in addition to tech ability, kept suggestions fresh and even retained university student interest.
Keep getting staff a chance to learn and even practice layout thinking. This specific spring, our entire company is finishing a Mixtape course developed by the m. school during Stanford together with refreshing this skills on the IDEO and also Acumen training again.
There are terrific resources in existence. To learn more about each of our design teams and some of our plans regarding fall 2014 visit our website. And in the section underneath, please talk about how you usage design contemplating in the classroom as well as in after-school programs.