Assignment 2b Introduction
The first part of this assignment, assignment 2a, was a team activity to participate in a design thinking process. Consequently, this assignment 2b builds on the design challenge defined through a process of emphasizing with a user, defining a problem using a Point of View (POV) Framework, and ideating or brainstorming ways to address the challenge defined.
Context
For context, I work as a curriculum teaching and learning specialist in higher education. The design challenge statement developed by Leah Yardley and myself in the first part (2a) of the assignment is; I (Jessica) need a way to help instructors create supportive learning environments because changes to the structure of learning combined with the collective trauma resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic have increased levels of stress and anxiety for students and instructors (Gemella & Yardley, 2023). In assignment 2a, Leah Yardley and I acknowledged that in higher education, student well-being is often supported through distinct services, such as counselling and medical services (Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health, n.d.; Fovet, F., 2020; Hsu & Goldsmith, 2021; Semu & Henshaw, 2022; Van Der Bijl-Brouwer & Price, 2020). Leah Yardley and I argued that instructors could also play an important role in minimising the impact of stress and anxiety within the learning experience (Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health, n.d.). The proposed solution within the context of our presented problem is to use a Universal Design for Learning framework (UDL). Briefly, UDL provides guidelines to ensure that all learners can access and participate in learning opportunities (CAST, 2020).
Design Thinking
Svihla (2017) stated that design thinking refers to methods, practices, and processes that guide instructional designers in creating learning experiences based on understanding the needs of learners. Tracey & Hutchinson (2019) suggested that to create meaningful learning experiences, instructional designers must be empathetic to learners’ cognitive and emotional needs. Design principles are a set of considerations and values that help guide decision-making, align decisions with desired outcomes, and advance design goals (Brignell, n.d.; Cable, 2015; Crichton & Childs, 2022). The following principles draw from the UDL framework, emphasising mental health. These recommended design principles aim to guide instructional design to minimise the impact of stress and anxiety within the learning experience.
References
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Cable, S. (2015, June 18). Design principles – a guide. Cxpartners. https://k12.designprinciples.org/design-principles
CAST. (2020). UDL tips for designing learning experiences. https://www.cast.org/products-services/resources/2020/udl-tips-designing-learning-experiences
Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health. (n.d.). Recognizing, responding and referring students to crisis supports. https://campusmentalhealth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/CICMH-Recognize-Respond-to-Students-Flowchart.pdf
Crichton, S., & Childs, E. (2022). Design principles for schools. https://k12.designprinciples.org/design-principles
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