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Teaching

I teach two classes on design and technology: LS 429, Design of learning Environments and SESP (Special topics) Digital design for social change.

Design of learning environments

LS 429

This course focuses on designing instruction using the human-centered design process and methods from cognitive science, interaction design and lesson study.  In the first part of the course, we'll conduct task analyses and student interviews to understand the knowledge, skills and dispositions learners must acquire and the learning challenges they face.  Next we'll use basic interaction design methods like brainstorming, personas, scenarios and diagrams to generate and sketch possible instructional solutions.  The later part of the course will focus on prototyping a lesson and lesson observation (testing).  The final task will be to design a research plan for testing a learning principle used in the design.

By the end of the course you will be able to use human-centered design to create effective learning environments, to use research to inform design, and to develop research questions based on design.

Digital design for social change
SESP Special topics

To change organizations and societies, citizens must persuade others to take action, and for Millennials, this means mastering new digital literacies.  In this course you will learn how to use interactive media to develop policy messages that educate and persuade.  Specifically, you will learn fundamental skills and concepts for: (1) analyzing policy texts, (2) conducting human-centered, iterative design and (3) programming interactive media including flash, html, and if time allows, the social web (such as Facebook and Twitter).

This year, your client will be high school citizen journalists in Chicago's immigrant communities.  Your design challenge will be to create interactive digital products that help these journalists increase their audience's understanding of policy issues.  Using a policy topic of your choosing (such as money in politics, immigration policy, global warming, etc.) possible projects might include:

  1. 1.A compelling and persuasive interactive presentation that provides greater depth on the policy issue (appearing alongside journalists' video profiles)

  2. 2.A mobile or social web application (for iphone or facebook) that helps citizen journalists to reach a larger audience or increase interaction with their current audience

  3. 3.On-line curriculum for teaching student journalists to report on policy

There are no prerequisites for the course.  To tailor this syllabus of this special topics class to  students’ interests and needs, enrollment will be limited.  If you have questions about the course, please email the instructor.

2011-2012 Schedule


SESP Digital design for social change

Winter (Time TBD)


LS 429 Design of Learning Environments

Spring :: Th 9-12 am