Going from a "process" to "pieces" of design thinking

Now that it has been just over a year using the design thinking process one major stumbling block has been that students see the "process" as something that you have to go through step by step. However there are many times where it may not work. While working with a group of students on a design challenge who were stuck I noticed they were stuck because they were trying to go through every part of the "process" again. That is where I realized that I need to change the language of Design thinking in my classroom from a process to a puzzle where you can move pieces around and use what you need to complete the task.

Now I really need to find out how to change the mindset of the students in the class from a process to a puzzle with pieces.  My first FAIL was to just simply change the language I was using. I explained to the students that Design Thinking is not a process we go through step by step but more like a puzzle where I can start where I need to. Like I said... this was a FAIL (First Attempt In Learning) and that was ok. Students still did not get the concept.

So attempt number two will be a puzzle activity.  I am going to create a puzzle for each team where each puzzle piece has a part of the design process (with multiples of each one). Each team set is different but in the end the image they all make in the end is:

I am hoping that this will help the students see that no matter what piece you need and when you place that piece into the work, you can get to the same final product. Although this has been frustrating I have really learned the value of the design thinking puzzle myself going through the difference pieces at different times along with gaining the GRIT to not give up and allow the students to continue to see this as a process.

Design Thinking Meets Cooking Shows

So not only do I love design thinking I also LOVE cooking shows.  After attending ISTE 2014 and participating in an Iron Chef competition, I decided to take my favorite cooking show into the classroom.  I created a teaching strategy called Cutthroat Classroom.  In this strategy I grouped my students into small groups. Those groups then were given a meal to "cook". The first one that I tried today was with ASB/Leadership and it was to cook up the perfect Winter Formal.

To help with the theme of cooking I created a pantry of ingredients (mason jars filled with slips of paper that had things they can use in the challenge).  For this challenge one size of jars had a budget, another set had a location for the dance, and the third jar had different dance elements that ASB owned already they could use (like lights, decorations, etc). Each team was able to get one of each type of jars. Then we went into sabotages and auction! This was new to some students but they caught on really quick. I auctioned off sabotages like cutting teams budgets in half, cutting teams time in half, and loosing one of their pantry ingredients.

From there the students started "cooking".  This is where the real magic has started. We went on Thanksgiving break and the students were all anxious to work together over break on their meal plans.  The students knew what I was looking for in the project and pitch in order to gain a 4 on our rubric scale. I am excited to see what they come up with and to have the winning "meal" put into place as our dance.

So how does this connect with design thinking? Well not only is part of the rubric grade based on them explaining how they used the design thinking process, but I already heard them using elements and the vocabulary of design thinking in the first five minutes.

The best thing I have heard in the past three years of teaching in Vista is when a students yelled across our Pavillion "Mrs. Painter, this was the best day ever in ASB! I hope all classes do this!"

Here is a link to the website template I created... and here is a link to the website for the challenge described above.

Leadership and Design Thinking

Having the passion and drive for design thinking I really struggled finding a way to use it in my Leadership class. Most of the time leadership days consist of planning, holding meetings, and making posters. How can design thinking fit into that schedule? That was the challenge I was facing and I have been determined to ideate a solution.

After almost a month I realized that every decision that is made in ASB can be done through the design thinking process. The students have become really great at identifying the needed steps in the design processes to complete the task they are facing. It has been amazing as well to watch them change from just making decisions based on their personal thoughts and wants to really taking others into account. Often times the students will be discussing options for a decision and they will stop and think about all "users" and their needs. It has really helped to change the culture of the campus.

Grading, Mastery and Design Thinking

Over this past year I have really challenged myself to question some of the normal routines and reasons why I grade the way I do. I have always had a very strong opinion about grading, late work, etc. in middle school. Coming from the high school world previously I have seen students who go into their freshman year of high school and are not ready for the reality of due dates and the rigor of nightly homework from 6 classes. I was determined as an 8th grade teacher to hold to the same standards so the students would not struggle as much in high school. AFTER design thinking and Common Core was introduced to me I stared to question if that was really the best for my students. I also really started to look at how I was going to grade the design thinking process and outcomes.

I first started with the best way to grade design challenges. This is a process that has no right or wrong answer but it does have specific things I want to see at each stage of the process. For this I created a 4 point rubric that allows my students to know my expectations (see attached). I also then realized that there were speaking skills that I wanted them to think about and be graded on when they presented which required another rubric.

After I determined how I was going to grade I had to look at my overall grading philosophy and point of view. Because design thinking is more about the process and it is never really ever done, student's work should not be as well. I came to see and realize that I was actually harming my students by not having them re-do every assignment until it meet the expectations and showed that they were able to apply their learning. So I went to a standard based mastery grading on a four point system. A four means that students not only understood the concept and applied it but pushed themselves to be creative in the process. A three means that a student meet the expectations by applying the concept. A two means they need to take the feedback I provided and re-do the assignment. I do not accept anything less then a two. On a grading scale a 4 is an A, a 3 is a B, and 2's have no real value as they need to re-do it anyway.

When I first introduced this to the students they were excited that they can wait to turn in work until the end of the semester. When I informed them that they still have to turn it in on time so I can give them feedback they realized that they had no option but to be successful. When a student did not turn in their assignment on time I had them call home right then and there as a consequence.

This is a real shift in thinking for me but I have already seen success. Students are turning in their work and realizing that they just need to give 110% the first time so they don't have to waste time and do it again.

Oral Presentation Rubric
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1keX9c31KkRaL2d91JwBVyY-F07D0IGlbI__At1N16JI/pub

Design Challenge Rubric
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18MbJmMojxyfdu9Bjsrt0Or8V4T4zUTX8o3lM03qpBtw/pub

Helping student achieve design thinking with task cards

As I have gone through the design thinking process with my students four times now I have noticed that not all my students are understanding each step of the process in the same way. It seems like no matter how many times I explain and model each step there is still confusion and way to much hand holding. So I put myself through the design process myself....

Here is what I came up with:

Problem finding: Students struggle with the concept and the tools needed for each step
Empathy: This is really new to all my students and they need something tangible they can refer to.
Define focus: Need statement- The students need a tangible product as a tool belt so as to use each step of   the design thinking process correctly.
Ideate: Options included QR codes to videos or websites, Livebinder with resources and videos, a flip chart, reference cards.
Prototype: I started to create QR codes but struggled to find videos. I am working on videos for each step   done by students (but this will require students who really understand it which I am lacking at this                   point and I really want a student not myself, but that may be the first run!). I also prototyped a set                 of cards that has each step, a small explanation of the step, and strategies for them to use. I plan                   to laminate these, put them on rings and have one for every table group
Test:  Now on to test the card idea first and see if it really meets the needs of my students!

Empathy... the concept students struggle with the most

As my students start into their third design challenge I have come to realize that my students really struggle with understanding and using empathy in their design. Before I have asked students to generate questions to others about their design challenge and document their questions. This was not really working. For design challenge #3 the students have been challenged with creating a mural that captures the feeling of the design thinking process. This gave me an opportunity to really focus in on having the students understand empathy and how to gain empathy.

I gave the students three different people they needed to "interview" for empathy. The first was our Art teacher so they can put themselves in the shoes of the artist. I wanted them to focus on how the mural would be created and the different elements they need to think about from the art standpoint. I gave the students an entire day to generate questions as a team that they would use in a face to face interview with the teacher. I did not pre-screen the questions. When she arrived today to be interviewed the students just sat there without any questions. The one question that was asked was not on track to being part of empathy. After the art teacher left I used the time as a teaching moment for empathy. We discussed and talked about the type of questions that should have been asked. I am going to have the art teacher come back again and give the students another shot at really using empathy the right way.

The second person that I wanted them to put themselves in the shoes of was our principal. He will be the one choosing the winning mural that will be painted on the wall. I wanted them to ask him vision questions that will help them understand what he is looking for. The time challenges that a Principal faces meant that he was not available for a live interview. It was actually great because it gave me a chance to have the kids use empathy in a different way. I had the students generate the questions as a team then email him the questions. Having pre-warned the principal to expect the emails, he was great and answered each and every one (I think he actually really enjoyed the process and the emails from the students!) The one thing that I need to do differently is to have the students cc me in on the email so I can keep track of which groups completed the assignment and so I am able to assess the questions being asked. Since I skipped that part of the process I had the students forward their email and my principal's response to me instead.

The last person I wanted them to connect with for empathy was a potential new student to the school. They will be the one that will walk by the mural everyday and they will be the ones that need to understand the process so it is important for them to be thought about as the students design. For this option I had the students also generate questions they thought would be important to give them insight, then either email them to a student who I connected with ahead of time and was willing to help me, or record a short video asking the questions. I had one group that did video their questions and the student did a video in response. This was a great way for me to see the possibilities that I had for connections with other students around the US or event he world (my ultimate goal in design thinking). It worked pretty well and it is something that I want to continue to explore.

Overall the students seemed to get a little bit better grasp on empathy but I think I still have a long way to go in developing this skill in the students.

Having a sub during a challenge

As all teachers know having a "day off" is not what it sounds like. For many teachers it is easier to be in the classroom then it is to be out because you know your routines, the students know your expectations, and there is no one that you have to explain what you need them to do (and you hope the have the skills to do). Design thinking is no exception.

During my last design challenge I had to be a district training. I spend the few days before having the students start their prototype. I had to make an important decision, to allow the students and the sub to keep prototyping, or to have the students stop their progress and work on something different. Here were the pros and cons that I came up with for each option:

Allowing the students to continue their prototype construction

Pros:   The students were in a really great flow of ideas

           The time was needed no matter what and allowing them to work would not push my schedule

Cons:  The students were using hot melt glue guns and box cutters which meant potential injuries

           The sub is not familiar with the design process and I am not sure if the students will work as needed

Giving the students an alternative work

Pros:   It is easy to have a sub have them work on math problems, research, or notes

Cons:  Students will interrupt the flow of progress

           The assigned work has little meaning if not in context and comes out of the blue

After looking at all options I decided to give my students and the sub a chance to complete the prototypes. To ensure that students were safe I went over the safety rules for glue guns and box cutters with all students the day before. I made sure that they understood my expectations and that any violation in any class by any student would result in disqualification and the end of the challenge. I also made sure to give my sub the same rules and regulations.

After sitting through the meeting fearful of what I would find when I got back, I was pleased to see that there were no injured from the glue guns and box cutters. ONE student cut them-self with a pair of children safety scissors. Overall it was a success and I learned that taking the time to set expectations with both the students and the sub meant that the students could be successful!

Attempt #2...

So the first challenge was fun and the kids REALLY enjoyed it. I on the other hand saw a lot of areas where I needed to improve. I was not as organized nor did I get the results I was looking for from the kids. So time to go through the design thinking process myself. I first started with problem finding. I had to look and reflect on the previous challenge to see where the process can be improved and find the problem(s). Here is what I came up with:

1. The students needed to take more time finding a problem which requires research
2. The ideate stage was not done well enough and not a lot of ideas were generated
3. More accountability is needed for the students to make sure the science is being connected properly.

I then had to empathize with putting myself in their shoes (making sure it was engaging and fun) and also in the shoes of other teachers trying this. Here was what I came up with after interviewing students:

1. They needed more guidance on finding problems but loved using the computer to help them
2. They liked a hands on way to ideate maybe even an electronic way to ideate
3. Needed specific questions to answer in their presentation and a personal option not just a group option for explaining what they learned.

I then ideated and came up with the following ways to help solve the problems...

1. I created a livebinder to help the students though the process (see the link to help you understand my use)
2. I would use scraps of paper, tape, and cardboard to create team ideation boards (see image below)
3. I would have students create digital portfolios to document what they learned and how they applied the science to their design.

Overall the students seemed to do better with this challenge. They felt comfortable with the process. I did not see the creativity I was hoping for. The explanations of the science was also still very weak. I really need to find a way to ensure students are taking it seriously and putting creativity and effort into the process.

Images and Videos:

Ideation Board:

Bobsled Example

My first design challenge

Being a science teacher it seemed easy enough to try out what the design thinking world calls design challenges. I found a great resource with ready made challenge called http://www.thetech.org/educator-resources/design-challenge-learning. These were a great place for me to start. The challenge was how to I make sure that these challenges would connect to what I needed my students to learn.

I just started my unit on forces and motion. There is a design challenge entitled Free the Ketchup. This was perfect. It focused on Newton's first law of motion which is where I was starting. I was determined to make this the first opportunity my students had to explore design thinking. The real challenge was how long am I going to take for this challenge and how am I going to introduce this brand new way of thinking?

I started with introducing the process of design thinking with YouTube videos and a discussion on each step. I had the students take notes in their interactive notebooks about each step. I then introduced the challenge itself (see the link above entitled Free the Ketchup for what the challenge is).

At first I had the students just focus on empathy by writing questions they want to ask a kindergartner. This helped the students see and understand what empathy is. The students really struggled to understand that they were not designing a solution for themselves, but a little kid. Some of the questions were really great and would have helped them with the design, and others really needed guidance and help. I really wish I was able to connect with the elementary school on our campus and get actual kindergarten or first grade students in my classroom so the kids could interview them or even have the kids go into their classroom.

After the kids focused on the empathy stage I had them focus on the ideate or brainstorm phase. I had the students do individual sketches in their notebooks and then share them with their team. This was not as successful as I hoped. I really need to come up with a better way for the students to ideate. It is the most important step there is in the process and the students seemed to just breeze through it. There was not as much creativity as I would have liked.

After the students complete the ideate phase (1 day) I have them start their prototypes. I provided common materials like string, Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, foam, cardboard, rulers, and even some duck tape. The issue with these challenges is that they can get expensive as a teacher. I really tried to have the students find materials they had at home or would throw away to help them prototype. Many did not bring in supplies for this challenge but watched teams that did be more successful. I gave them three days to build their prototype.

After the prototypes were complete I had them present their design. The students were give a rubric (see this link for the rubric) that I used to grade them. Overall for their first challenge they did pretty well. Many groups did not go far enough into how their design used the concept of Newton's first law. This is where I really need to work with the students to help them understand the importance of explaining the science AND HOW they used it. Hopefully on the next challenge they realize that their presentation is in place of a test and they really need to explain the how they applied the concepts and what they are.

Video of complete challenge:

Welcome to the beginning of my adventure

Welcome to my crazy and fun adventure of becoming a design thinking teacher. My goal is to blog the good, bad, ugly and amazing time of design thinking.

Before I start... a little background on me and why I have taken on this adventure.

My name is Darlene Painter. I currently teach 8th grade physical science in Vista, CA. This is my second year at this middle school. Previous to this teaching assignment I taught for five years at a charter school in Riverside County. When I made the leap to the public school system I thought it was going to be easy. What I ended up with was something much more challenging and exciting.

The school I am at is going through a transition. At the end of this current school year (2013-2014) the doors to the school will permanently close. In it' place a new magnet school will open. If you are not familiar with a magnet school, it is a school of choice that is still public and part of the district. It has a theme or specialty that it offers students. The main reason that Vista choose to open the school as a magnet is to offer students more choice and options in their education and to help diversify the school.

To get the theme of the school the district put together a committee of teachers, administrators, parents and students. They did polls of the community to see what they wanted in a new school. In the end the data showed us that design and innovation was the direction we wanted to go. After the board approved the theme the real work began. For many teachers and staff we had never heard of design thinking. We had to first learn what it was before we could begin starting to use it. To help with the transition a steering committee was formed. This committee's job is to help make the administration make important decision. I was lucky enough to be chosen to be part of the committee. This is where my real journey began.

You will now hear all about my adventure on both the committee and in the classroom as I pilot and try design thinking as part of my curriculum and focus for learning. I hope you enjoy this journey with me.