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 www.essaywriterusa.com/ 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 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 as well as Impact: Design Thinking and also the Arts
That mouse button that fits which means that nicely as part of your hand, the best way your i phone reacts towards your creative manner of spelling, the actual “so uncomplicated why decided not to I think of your? ” operations you encounter every day — these are the effect of design imagining, a sequenced process accepted by revolutionary companies and also entrepreneurs. Design thinking, or simply human-centered pattern, is an strengthening way to remedy problems as well as design parts by you start with discovery, moving on to ideation and swift prototyping, subsequently testing, and ultimately execution.
How this high-level, innovative type of problem solving do the job in a in-class or after-school program? Very well, actually. The very West Mich Center to get Arts and Technology (WMCAT) engages town high school students in a best-practice after-school program that is certainly grounded within design wondering. I’ll discuss our outing so that you can find ways to enhance your own mastering environment through design considering.
6 Steps to a Student-Created Mobile Practical application
WMCAT teen college students are working inside teams to learn and take on a troubling community matter using martial arts disciplines and systems as a basis for ask, critical imagining and request. Each team has 12 students, is normally guided by someone that installs systems for a living teaching designer, and meets two days a week for the entire classes year. The following is the story of how one of these coaches and teams is using the design and style thinking method.
Our Exciting design team went outright with new technology to address the way in which teens will better build relationships their city’s downtown center. They combined with Down-town Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local software package development corporation Mutually Individuals to create a cell app.
Step 1: Discover
Our teens toured in the downtown area Grand Rapids with staff from DGRI, visited the exact offices associated with Mutually Individuals, interviewed adolescence about their awareness of in the downtown area, and looked into other products on the market.
Step: Ideate
Through extreme brainstorming, the exact teens did start to coalesce near two ideas: zombies and even spies!
3: Experiment
The adolescence began prototyping by building storyboards with regard to their app. Principle premise was initially that buyers would adhere to sequential quest through which going to key places downtown would certainly advance often the action. Most of their storyboard had been presented that will DGRI.
Step four: Create
All details of the iphone app were formulated, including pallettes, transitions, amount of displays, graphics as well as writing.
Step five: Refine
The final storyboard and modele will be shown to DGRI and at a new public skill exhibit to gain feedback. Remarks is used so that you can refine the main project along with fine-tune particulars.
Step 6: Reveal
This summer, Mutually Our staff can help complete the exact back-end use the software package so that it can be available on mobile device advertising networks.
Why style and design thinking? WMCAT wanted to raise retention along with high school university rates for the students. We all learned through research in addition to evaluation which we could have an increased impact by means of increasing diamond with a reduced group of learners, rather than increasing the number of college students coming thru our doors. We as well wanted to inspire students to lift their noises and result social modification. After all, WMCAT is most of their space to obtain their speech and replace the world during which they are living.
Human-Centered Structure
Model thinking together with project-based understanding surfaced for essential type in impressive school modernize that improves students’ conduct toward mastering. One of the personalities in project-based learning was basically High Tech High (HTH) throughout San Diego. The exact WMCAT Young adult Arts workforce traveled to HTH to complete a residency using their staff on the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. In Grand Rapids, we in addition selected a new team to do a course with Human-Centered The style of Social Uniqueness from IDEO and Acumen. And then, continue summer I was lucky enough to examine at the famous d. institution at Stanford, where As i began to master just how we’re able to transform our own program to get teens.
Once piloting style and design thinking while our pedagogy this past school year, we certainly have learned one or two things:
The most beneficial projects tend to be student-driven and student-led. The larger we operating our young people in deciding on their troubles, selecting their valuable partners together with driving the particular conversation, often the stronger the exact projects were definitely.
Supply students lots of opportunities to comprehensive mini style and design challenges along the way. This given a hand to us instruct art together with tech techniques, kept creative ideas fresh as well as retained university student interest.
Keep giving staff a chance to learn and practice design thinking. This particular spring, all of our entire workforce is finishing a Mixtape course produced by the n. school on Stanford and even refreshing some of our skills through the IDEO as well as Acumen training again.
There are terrific resources available. To learn more about each of our design competitors and your plans meant for fall 2014 visit internet site. And in the section down below, please discuss how you employ design pondering in the classroom or simply in after-school programs.
