apply design thinking mindsets to the curriculum
The mission of the Design Thinking Initiative is to incorporate design thinking into liberal arts education and to facilitate ongoing dialogue about the role design plays in shaping the human experience. In support of this mission several curriculum enhancement grants are being offered in four categories: Bridging Divides; Methods and Mindsets; Experimental Learning Spaces; Remix the Curriculum.
Example: Two (or more) courses from different divisions working together on a common design project.
Mindsets—collaboration, human-centeredness, and experimentation;
Methods—redefining problems through empathy with stakeholders, iterative prototyping and testing.
Example: An Anthropology course that uses prototyping or making to expand its methodological approach.
Example: Support for a design/build special studies with two or more students from multiple disciplines.
Propose a creative and mindful use of the Capen Annex classroom or prototyping studio.
Example: A plan to build a prototyping cart for Japanese language courses that allows students to create artifacts as they learn key concepts.
Example: A week-long design challenge bringing together people from Biology, Mathematics, French, African Studies and Dance.
Enhancing learning through design thinking
Watch Susannah Howe describe the Capstone Course for seniors in the engineering major, Design Clinic. The goal of Design Clinic is to give students exposure to working for and with clients. Susannah has used two curriculum enhancement grants to extend that opportunity to students in Anthropology, Computer Science, and Landscape Studies by creating interdisciplinary student teams in collaboration with Suzanne Gottschang, Dominique Thiebaut, and Reid Bertone-Johnson, respectively.
Click to Download the Curriculum Grant Application for Academic Year 2017-2018
The following grants are funded for 2016-2017:
Landscape Studies + Engineering
Anthropology and Engineering
Faculty:
- Suzanne Gottschang
Susannah Howe
Courses:
* Preparation of future courses in Anthropology and Engineering
For the second year, Susannah Howe and Suzanne Gottschang will shadow each other’s courses to develop a plan for further student design collaborations between the Anthropology and Engineering departments.
understand italian artisanry
design policy briefs
Design Debates on Smith's MOOC
Faculty:
- Lauren Duncan
- Psychology of Political Activism: Women Changing the World
Deborah Keisch
Courses:
Enhanced emphasis on design process. Course applies design thinking principles to effectively scaffolding substantive online discussions for Smith’s first MOOC (Massively Open Online Course).
how to make a map
19th century photography
Socially engaged memory
Prototyping Anthropology
Nanoscale design
Inspired? Prepare a proposal
The Design Thinking Initiative is supporting further experimentation with the curriculum and with learning and working spaces on campus. We invite faculty to get their feet wet with design thinking next year. Start brainstorming on a proposal idea today!
Applications for 2017-2018 grants will open in Spring 2017. The deadline to submit proposals will be 1 June 2017. Grant recipients will be notified on 15 June 2017.
In Fall 2016, the Teaching Circle will meet at noon on Friday 23 September; 21 October; and 11 November.
Recipients will also submit a final report in which they share syllabi, specific assignments developed to support grant goals, any rubrics developed for assessment, and a reflection on challenges and successes of their curricular revisions. In addition, recipients agree to allow Institutional Research to survey students for assessment purposes.
Click to Download the Curriculum Grant Application for Academic Year 2017-2018