Design Project: Problem Solving Session

In our last problem-solving session of this pathway development, we tackled the learners’ final project. The pathway will culminate in a month-long collaborative Design Project, in which learners apply knowledge and skills from their two courses to complete a design challenge.

We would like the Design Project to:

• Take the form of an authentic performance task
• Require leaners to design with a specific user in mind
• Provide learners with significant opportunity to make their work personally meaningful

We started our session by working creatively as a group on a simple drawing task. This activity encouraged us to see ideas and add to what others have offered already. We started with three basic shapes on the board and ended up with what is pictured below.

This was a warm-up to the main problem that needed to be solved: what should the final Design Project be?

Some design projects that we are considering are:

• New App Expo – leaners create a new app concept that they publically pitch at a New App Expo
• Artstream Student Websites – Pathway students create a professional website for an Artstream student to showcase their identity as an artist and their work.
• Digital Image Consultant – Are you a BVC employee that is looking to develop or enhance your professional online presence?  Pathway learners are here to help!

And thanks to this brainstorm we added:

• Music Connect – marketing for an initiative that allows learners from SFL to showcase their musical talent
• Promotional video for the college – as a celebration to highlight all the interesting opportunities on campus
• App with a Virtual Tour – of the college or surrounding area
• Premier’s Luncheon – marketing for this event
• Digital Storytelling – for the kids in the BVC day care

After this brainstorm, we used the 6 Thinking Hats method to further explore one of the options. It is during this exercise that we start to ask questions such as, would the learners have the skills to complete such a project, and think about connected opportunities, such as mentorships or partnerships with other learner groups at the college.

This was a very creative and productive process for us. Many thanks to those who were able to join us at this, and the previous, problem-solving sessions.

We were holding these open problem solving sessions every two weeks as part of the development of the Career Program Pathway – Creative Technologies project. The purpose of these sessions is twofold: give SFL and CT faculty multiple opportunities to get involved in the development process, and for the course developers to be able to learn from the expertise of others and apply that knowledge in this project.

Interested in the results of our last Problem Solving Session? Check out our post on this blog: Feedback on Learning Outcomes and Objectives. Have ideas to share but were not able to make a session? You can chat anytime with Allison, Penny, or Deanna.

Feedback on Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Drafting has become an exploratory yet deeply focused and detailed part of our design process. After writing and fine-tuning the learning outcomes and objectives for the two courses in the pathway, we put the drafts out there for feedback in this problem solving session. Colleagues were invited to participate in the session from a variety of perspectives:

• Subject matter expert (SME) – in math, computers, communications, or digital culture
• Learner
• Instructor but not SME
• Curriculum developer

This allowed us incorporate a variety of different views into this review of outcomes and objectives. After a group discussion around the course outcomes and whether the scope was right and whether the components fit together and made sense, we individually reviewed and commented on the objectives for each outcome for both courses.

The written comments and subsequent discussion led us to modifications, such as:

• Breaking objectives down into sub-parts, to ensure adequate time would be planned for
• Re-combining elements into groups that fit together better
• Adding missed potential objectives
• Eliminating “nice to have” objectives that went too far outside the scope of a course

This resulted in a second draft that incorporated more viewpoints, benefitted from more eyes, and pushed us to think deeper about a few key issues. Once again, we are grateful to those who were able to participate in this problem solving session for their time and expertise.

We are holding these open problem solving sessions every two weeks as part of the development of the Career Program Pathway – Creative Technologies project. The purpose of these sessions is twofold: give SFL and CT faculty multiple opportunities to get involved in the development process, and for the course developers to be able to learn from the expertise of others and apply that knowledge in this project.

Interested in the results of our last Problem Solving Session? Check out our post on this blog: Depth of Knowledge. Have ideas to share but not able to make a session? You can chat anytime with Allison, Penny, or Deanna.

Depth of Knowledge - Problem Solving Session

How deeply do learners understand what you are teaching them? Do they get why they are learning this? Can they apply it to a new situation? During the design process we purposefully develop assessment to address these questions.

This session focused on applying Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels to determine how in-depth learners need to know each of the learning outcomes in the CPP-CT courses. See the image below for a brief explanation of each level.

Source: http://www.synergiseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Dok.svg

 We broke into three groups and each group chose one learning outcome to focus on. The group discussed what the learning outcome meant and the sub skills that learners need to be introduced to before they can achieve the learning outcome. The group then looked at each sub skill and determined which DOK level it represented.

As this was a brainstorming session, we also tried a new approach to increase our creative ability. We had containers of legos set out that participants were encouraged to sort by colour into piles, in between brainstorming the DOK targets. This idea is based off of research that suggests that keeping the mind engaged in a simple/mindless task enhances creativity. The lego sorting worked for some; others said they have found chores such as folding laundry or washing dishes to be beneficial.

We came away from this session with three fully developed learning outcomes with various objectives aligned to DOK level targets. This kind of work is time consuming but important, as it sets the stage for a well scaffolded course. We are thankful for the full participation from everyone who was able to join us.

We are holding these open problem solving sessions every two weeks as part of the development of the Career Program Pathway – Creative Technologies project. The purpose of these sessions is twofold: give SFL and CT faculty multiple opportunities to get involved in the development process, and for the course developers to be able to learn from the expertise of others and apply that knowledge in this project.

Interested in the results of our last Problem Solving Session? Check out our post on this blog: Authentic Tasks and Audiences. Have ideas to share but not able to make a session? You can chat anytime with Allison, Penny, or Deanna.