Unit 2 - Step 5c - Activity Plan (adapting a current prototype for more effective use by EFL students) (prototype)

Identified the need to reduce the size and scale of what it is I'm asking students to do.

The new and improved prototype activity
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8r1jrc3n6aibU5oRjd6MFptVG8

Unit 2 - Step 5a - Activity Plan (adapting a current prototype for more effective use by EFL students) (prototype)

Video 1 - Nuvu School - Supporting Creative Learning

interesting video on how a school has set up a "making" studio to promote and support student engagement in the "iterative" process .. to deal with real world problems ... to come up with their own solutions (typically given a problem that they must solve in 2 weeks - engage in design thinking to solve it) 

• What does “creative learning” mean to you? Is it a priority in your school or classroom? What ways do you allow your students to express their creativity?
• creative learning 
• definitely about conceptualizing something and then making it concrete.. and perhaps then reviewing and revising it (with a background in the visual arts .. this comes naturally to me) 
• is it a priority in my school or classroom? 
• in my school .. not so much .. pressure to cover content and curriculum ... but in my classroom, I do promote it via formative assessment strategies that invite students to work in groups to review and revise their work, submit for my review .. then resubmit it based on my feedback .. then resubmit it again (reinforce idea that education / learning is really about trial and errors... practicing .. to realize mastering )
• In your classroom, how are you like a teacher and how are you like a coach? Which role do you prefer? What might it look like/feel like/sound like to be more of a coach than a teacher?  

• how am I like a teacher? 

• when I model how something is done .. and invite students to repeat / practice it then be assessed on whether it is right or wrong (standards based)  
• I'm monitoring the student at all stages of the process to ensure the student is on track to master a given skill or concept 

• how am I like a coach?

• when I offer feedback that is more subjective.... but based on experience .. and enter into a dialogue with a student as to options / free choices that they can make .. then I'm engaged in coaching (more of the critical assessment, final judgement and ultimately decision on how to proceed rests with the student) 
• I'm on the sidelines .. giving them options.. and they then enter the playing field unencumbered by me to then make choices and learn directly from them as to whether or not they were good ones; they may come back to me to discuss their opinions and solicit my own 

Video 2 - prototyping and iteration

 Do you ask your students to critique each other? How do they feel about being critiqued or revising their work? How might you help them be more comfortable with critique? 

• I do ask my students to give reviews of each other's work but typically in a controlled sense (often with a set of guidelines and rubric) in an effort to structure and guide it because I find they don't have the ability nor the maturity to do it in a constructive manner  
• The video underscores the need to MODEL proper critquing before we can expect students to do it - using questioning  .. and typically focusing on purpose (the Why) 
• what are you doing?
• why are you doing it?
• what do you see? 
• Students can become more comfortable with critiquing when they 
• are guided / directed at first (with guided questions) 
• are focused on purpose (vision, mission) 
• are instructed how important it is to the iterative process (by sharing real life examples - space program, importance of failure to learn, process is often more important that product) 
• a learning process (need to be specific about what they have done; close observation) 

Unit 1 - step 5 - prototyping

User - male, 19 years old, student 

• a student who is often late for his morning class 

focus?

• morning or bedtime routine

key problem?

• sleep deprivation

key solution?

• know your goal
  
  • motivated to be an accountant 
  • get what you need to succeed 
  • enough sleep 
  • not lose school term 
  • safely drive to school 
  • have energy to study / practice 
   

Step 5: Prototype Your Solution (Prototype)

Goal: Build a model of your solution to effectively communicate your idea to your user. Duration: 15 minutes
Your prototype should give your user enough information about your solution idea or a specific element of your solution idea so that they can provide feedback for further iteration. This feedback is vital in ensuring that your solution idea truly addresses the problem you’ve identified. You will share your prototype with your user in Step 6 (Try). 
There are many types of prototypes and you should consider which format best communicates your solution idea to your user. We recommend using a sketch, a storyboard, or a simple physical prototype. Remember, these early prototypes are low-fidelity and should be done simply and quickly. Designers often go through dozens of iteration cycles (going back and forth between prototype and trying with users) as they develop their solutions.
For this assignment, we hope you have the opportunity to go through at least one iteration cycle: build a prototype, try the prototype with your user in Step 6, and then make some improvements based on user feedback.
To build a prototype of your solution idea, consider the following:

• What part of your solution idea is most important to share and try with your user? You can prototype one important feature of your solution or the whole thing. You’ll share your prototypes with your user in the next stage.
• What is the best way to communicate your idea to your user in order to get feedback? Consider sketches (see example), storyboards (see example), wireframes, simple physical prototypes (if you have relevant materials around, as well as the time and inclination). 
• A prototype is a draft of your idea and it will change over time. Don’t spend a lot of time on your first prototype (5-10 min max!) or worry about making perfect. Create something that your user can provide feedback on to help you determine your next step in developing the solution.

Take a picture (or screen capture) of your prototype and share it in the forums. Look at your classmates’ creative ideas!

 Steps leading up to Final prototype