PROBLEM OF PRACTICE DESIGN CHALLENGE
As teachers, we consider how we design our lessons, units, projects, and classrooms. These are then tailored to student needs including learner outcomes, interests, provincial competencies and much more. However, we encounter difficulties along our teaching journeys that can include student behaviour, class management, late assignments, lack of communication between parents etc. The problem of practice design challenges us to consider what are some problems of practice that we encounter in schools. This challenge was geared towards pre-service teachers and what we experienced in our practicum schools. The problem of practice had to be focused on a K-12 context specific need, problem or challenge. Norman's (2013) Double-Diamond Model of Design was the process in which we were to navigate the challenge.
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DISCOVER
DIVERGE
DEFINE
CONVERGE
DELIVER
CONVERGE
DEVELOP
DIVERGE
REITERATE
Good designers “never start by trying to solve the problem given to them: they start by trying to understand what the real issues are” (Norman, 2013, p. 218). The Double-Diamond Model separates the problem from the solution and emphasizes how design teams should firstly, “diverge, [...] generating idea after idea after idea… rather than converge upon a solution,” (p. 218). While generating ideas, designers should “be creative without regard for constraints” (p. 226). Only after ideation should they converge and determine the real problem.
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Similarly, once the real problem has been determined, groups will move to consider the real solution and should “consider a wide range of potential solutions” (Norma, 2013, p. 219). Finally, when the real solution has been determined, groups can “converge upon their proposal” (p. 219). Utilizing “iterative experimentation to refine the problem and the solution, coupled with management reviews” (p. 235) at the points of convergence is key for the Double-Diamond Model to work.
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