Innovation Plan Update
My original innovation plan was on combining Project-Based Learning with Design Thinking. However, while I was researching, I realized that they were closely aligned. Nevertheless, I really liked the foundation of design thinking. The fact that it is human-centered really caught my attention and I realized that business classes in K12 are suffering a great deal especially because the focus is on producing certifications. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to implement design-thinking into the CTE business classroom as my final implementation plan.
What worked?
Working in the CTE department has a lot of advantages. Teachers have the autonomy to teach without the concerns of standardized testing. Although I have only taught for 2.5 years, I enjoy being creative with my lessons. The concerns I have, however, are related to students required to pass a certification test. The great thing about obtaining certification allows students to get jobs quickly. Students are learning much-needed 21st-century skills. Students are also able to obtain higher-paying jobs because of their certifications.
Nevertheless, there is still work that needs to be done in the area of how students are working to complete their certifications. Acquiring certifications in Microsoft Office, OSHA, QuickBooks, or Google can prove to an employer that the candidate has expertise in specific technical skills; however, the certifications do not provide insight into how a person interacts with others, solves problems, or even lead a team. These are the skills a student can obtain from the DT process. Combining DT, the ability to obtain certifications, as well as planning, directing, and coordinating administrative services is a holistic approach that can and should be used in the CTE business classroom.
What could have been done better?
As I began my research, I realized there is not much information on DT in the CTE business classroom. Since there is not much research in this area, I used a different area regarding what worked. As I was researching, I saw quite a bit of information about how design-thinking is bringing about human-centeredness to the classroom. The other thing that worked is the fact that there is no real training to implement DT into the classroom which makes it easy to work into the curriculum.
However, during my research, I realized that focusing on STEM is a major problem when making changes in the CTE classrooms. While STEM is important, the business classes generally get left out. Additionally, when purchases are being made because students end up no longer interested in the items, the purchased items typically sit in a closet to never be used again.
How can we apply what we have learned?
Collaborating with other educators and those who conducted the research, gathering the results from the data is key when implementation takes place. One factor to keep in mind is that design thinking is well-positioned to provide diverse opportunities for students (Li et al., 2019). The research on DT in other content areas has been promising and understanding these concepts will help to make the implementation of DT into the CTE business classroom as seamless as possible.
PBL: Design Thinking Making an Empathic Impact in CTE
Project-based learning (PBL bridged with Design-thinking (DT), or Design-based learning (DBL) is a concept that can offer students an opportunity to work on a project through innovation, clarification, research, and development. By applying real-life experiences through authentic engagement, complex questions, and problem-solving, students become equipped with pertinent skills they will use in their lives or any workplace environment. With an intense focus on DT in the classroom, students are more apt to become empathic as their creations are designed with others in mind (Gibbons, 2018). As students work toward completing projects as commonly done in PBL, it is extremely important to comprehend what is actually happening during the process of creating the product. Thus, bridging cognitive intellectual activity with completion of the product. For more information, please see Literature Review here.
Becoming less self-focused and more empathic
When I started working as a teen, I was elated because I worked in a high-rise building, earned more money than my sister and other classmates, and had access to "executives". My entire reason for "enjoying" my job was because of my appearance to others. I put on this facade for many years until I realized how unhappy I had become after working in Corporate America for so many years. It wasn't until I became a teacher that I realized doing for others is more important than keeping the focus on yourself.
In my current class, Digital Learning Local-Global Context, we have been tasked with considering,
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What worked?
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What could have been done better?
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How to apply the lessons learned?
Thinking about my former career path and how it connects to my current path, I realize there are many things that did not work which is why I'm pushing so hard to implement Design-thinking into the CTE Business classroom. Some of the things that have worked in the CTE Business classroom are 1.) students are becoming employed by way of obtaining certifications, 2. students are learning digital skills, and 3. students have been able to start a career path. An area that could have been done better is teachers are teaching their lessons. Are we allowing students to understand the process, or are we only focused on the product? As students obtain their certifications, are they really making necessary connections with their lessons, and why the certifications are needed beyond just to help them become employed?
Seeing that I have only been a teacher for less than 3 years, I am still working to understand the best way to communicate the effectiveness to my team. I hope that my story will help them to make the necessary connections.
(Please download to hear my story. I have been having laryngitis the past few months, so please pardon the strain on my voice)