5 Steps to a Killer Poster Presentation

With thanks to Lawrence G Miller PHD and CEO, Miller & Associates for this guest posting. Follow Lawrence G Miller on Twitter @lawrencegmiller or LinkedIn 

A big piece of paper with text and images?  A pretty simple form of educational technology, but this is a format that can be as richly engaging as any our more contemporary digital formats.  It’s a poster!

The exact origins of the use of a single sheet of paper to encapsulate research findings are not at all clear.  In the late 1960s scientific research conferences exhibited simple posters that consisted of graphs, diagrams, and pictures, but did not contain text other than captions.  Within a few years, several scientific conferences established the poster presentation sessions that established the format pretty much as we have known it.  Today, posters have become a popular format for virtually all academic disciples, including education.

There is a certain challenge to excerpting research data or summarizing a complex project on one piece of paper.  You can think of it as akin to the Twitter paradigm of a message in 140 characters of text.  Yet, a well-designed, attractive poster can be a great learning experience in itself.  The design process forces the creator to synthesize and articulate their project or study.  Further, the experience of displaying the poster and engaging in a dialogue with interested conference participants is an extraordinarily rich experience with multiple benefits.
Here are five suggestions that will help you create a great poster and maximize the benefits of presenting in this format.

1.     Let It Flow, Let It Flow
A great poster has a logical flow to it.  An on-looker should be able to follow the intent of the poster.  In a more formal scientific-style poster, the material that is on the left side would be the set-up.  Here one would find the purpose of the research depicted on the poster, the research questions, and the methodology used.  The center area on the poster usually displays the data results of the study.  The right side is where one finds the interpretations of the data and the conclusions of the study.  The bottom right is typically where the bibliography would reside and any acknowledgments such as funding sources.

2.     Follow the Rules, Break the Rules
A poster that is entered in a competition should make sure to include all of the elements specified by the competition rules.  Reading and understanding the rules will make certain that your poster will receive all of the points that are assigned for specific areas.  However, there is room for creativity.  For example, a vertical format poster (think portrait as opposed to landscape) can make a poster distinctive.  One creative poster was constructed of 6 separate posters assembled with wooden slats.  It followed the rules for special dimensions, yet made a distinctive and effective presentation.

3.     Pictures Tell the Story
Images not only are an important way to display data, they also are a crucial design element.  Appropriate charts and graphs are typical of good posters, but sometimes a photographic image or an illustration will say something that numbers cannot.  Images should be really good photos or very simple charts or graphs.  Do not overload your images with information as they will lose their effectiveness in attracting people to stop at your poster.

4.     Clean, Simple Fonts
Nothing makes a poster look more cluttered than the use of inappropriate fonts.  Using fonts such as Arial, Franklin Gothic, and Futura make a poster look nice, but they are also very readable.  Do not mix fonts.  You can use Bold and Italic, or slightly different versions of a font family to call attention to the elements of your poster in terms of its flow.  Also, avoid using all capital letters – upper and lower case makes for easier reading.  Keep in mind that your poster will first be viewed by people who are “shopping” for topics of interest and will not initially be very close to your poster.  Your headline at the top must be large enough for people to easily ready it from a distance of five to ten feet.

5.     Engage During and After the Session
The real beauty of a poster presentation is that only those who care about the topic are likely to come and visit with you during a presentation session.  This one-on-one engagement can yield some of the richest experiences possible for both the presenter and that audience of one who cares about the content.  Be certain to have a handout that gives more depth than the posters could ever present.  The handout is where you can go into detail about your project or research.  And, don’t forget your business cards.

Just one more thing . . .
Creating a poster is a great learning experience.  Its use should be considered by instructors at all levels and a valid “deliverable” for group or individual work.


Hess, G.R., K. Tosney, and L. Liegel. 2014. Creating Effective Poster Presentations. 


Office of Undergraduate Research, Poster Presentations, University of Texas at Austin, 


Waquet, Francoise, Posters and Poster Sessions: A History, Center for History of Physics Newsletter, Volume XL, No. 2, Fall 2008

 

Spaces for Learning

Learning is impacted by many forces such as the learner’s disposition to the process, the quality of their teacher’s pedagogy, their emotional state and nature of the curriculum. Amongst this long list of factors is naturally the environment in which that learning occurs and the relationship between the environment and the learner. Our understanding of this relationship has grown and fortunately today’s educators are more willing to experiment with the way spaces are organised to promote learning. The new buzzword to describe learning spaces is ‘flexible’, but what does this mean and how might we ensure that our attractive new spaces do more than look pretty. 

Historic Classroom - courtesy of William Creswell  - Flickr

Historic Classroom - courtesy of William Creswell  - Flickr

You do not have to go far back in time to find images of classrooms that fit the look and feel experienced by the first students to experience formalised school education. Sadly you most likely can find classrooms that fit this image in your local school, today. A blackboard or Interactive Whiteboard at the front of the room, a teachers desk beside it, rows of neatly aligned desks and walls conspicuously devoid of colour or covered in carefully selected pieces of student work with a motivational poster going yellow in one corner. Ken Robinson has entertained many audiences with stories of this sort of classroom, stories that are entertaining to so many because they fit perfectly with their experience of school.

But not all classrooms are like this, some present learners with a mix of spaces suitable to a variety of learning modes or meet these varying needs through the use of spaces that are readily adapted throughout the day. Flexible learning spaces that may be tailored to the needs of the learners are said to be the future of learning. The classroom of the future as seen in the emerging spaces of today’s flexible classrooms will be bright airy spaces, full of colour and comfortable furnishings that can be arranged in many ways to create spaces of varying shapes and sizes. The classroom is becoming increasingly homely with spaces to lounge, spaces to sit formally at desks, spaces for collaboration and spaces for quiet reflection. Like so many ideas these flexible spaces first appeared in the offices of the young and hip start up companies of Silicon Valley. Google in addition to leading the world into the era of ‘search’ and all things online also led the way with the adoption of workspaces that smashed the stereotype cubicle spaces of their old economy competitors. Google took the colours of its well-known logo, combined them with playful design sensibilities and open spaces that were readily adapted to differing needs and gave the world a new design aesthetic.  

New trends in office design are envied by schools - Skype, Google and KBS+ 

New trends in office design are envied by schools - Skype, Google and KBS+ 

Since then there has been a good deal of experimentation with learning spaces and we are beginning to understand how to best utilise this new way of thinking. One of the first significant moves forward was the emergence of a metalanguage for the types of spaces we are likely to have. The origins of this language are a little murky but a good starting point is probably the work of architects Prakash Nair, Randall Fielding and Dr. Jeffrey Lackney of Design Share. Their work embodies so much of what has been adopted in a modern design language for schools and introduced three key spaces. Using metaphors from ancient civilisations spaces are seen as Campfires, Watering Holes or Cave Spaces; each serving a different purpose but acting together to meet the needs of a group of learners throughout a day. Campfires are spaces that allow communication on a large scale and fit the model of the lecture into a friendlier space that encourages more back and forth interaction. The Campfire space is best supported by spaces for collaboration on a smaller scale with nearby breakout spaces or flexibility in furnishings that offer this function. Watering Holes are spaces for small group collaboration and should include spaces that facilitate spontaneous interactions and socialisation. By nature they are likely to be loud but can be adapted to the specific needs of the group. Cave Spaces are for individuals and pairs who need access to a quiet space for reflection and meditative thinking. These spaces offer a foundation along with ideas such as tiered seating and task specific areas (wet areas, lab spaces, performance spaces) but with an agenda to allow spaces to be adapted and remixed to suit the needs of the learner schools should create spaces to suit their specific needs. 

Hellerup School in Denmark seen by many as the poster child for new learning spaces

Hellerup School in Denmark seen by many as the poster child for new learning spaces

Beyond the physical nature of the spaces there are important considerations for how they are to be used. A quick search online will reveal countless images of attractive educational spaces but such images present a potential risk to school planners. The design of any learning space must be guided by sound principles of learning and the spaces need to be matched to the pedagogy of those who will use them. The most amazing space will fail to enhance learning if it does not suit the needs of its users. There is a danger in hoping that new learning spaces will transform tired pedagogy; a belief that is not reflected by experience. In Sydney, Northern Beaches Christian School has had great success with its use of flexible learning spaces and has adopted the language of Nair, Fielding and Lackeny. Visitors to the school are told how these spaces evolved overtime to suit shifts in the ways their teachers taught and learners learned. The pedagogy of the school evolved overtime and this shift demanded new spaces to suit. A large financial investment without careful planning and preparation for how the new spaces will be embedded into the school’s learning platform is likely to result in spaces that are under utilised. 

Playful spaces that encourage students to engage with their environment in new ways

Playful spaces that encourage students to engage with their environment in new ways

With the adoption of new learning spaces come new opportunities for student learning. With choice should come an understanding of the choices that are made. Research has shown that the nature of the space can have an effect on the way we learn at a neurological level. Spaces full of noise and movement suit learning that is goal oriented in which the learner has a clear direction and understands how to get there. The brain responds to this environment in specific ways and the architecture of the brain in this environment is well suited to this mode of learning. This is why we are able to get certain tasks done effectively when listening to loud music but it also explains why this environment is not well suited to tasks requiring more open ended, reflective and creative thinking. In the loud environment the brains architecture is like a metaphorical mountain range with steep valleys according to Claxton and Lucas writing in ‘New Kinds of Smart’, sticking to the valleys allows us to traverse the pathways to completing a task quickly and with focus. At other times in a calm environment the brain is in what they call ‘Meadow Mode’ where a metaphor of a brain with flatter open spaces illustrates a more meditative style with open pathways for connecting ideas and big picture thinking. Understanding that the spaces we are learning in can affect the brains mode of operating is essential. What we want is for our students to have a range of spaces to choose from and the ability to explain why they are choosing one space over another. Spatial metacognition should become a skill for learners as they are empowered to select and even organise spaces to suit their learning. 

Whimsical Cave Spaces from Google Zurich offices

Whimsical Cave Spaces from Google Zurich offices

Lastly the way that we organise our spaces is only part of the discussion of how the learning environment shapes the learning that occurs within it. How we decorate these spaces has a significant impact too. Traditionally learning spaces, particularly in Primary schools are adorned with lovingly completed works of the students interspersed with carefully selected motivational phrases or images. These displays say a lot about what schools value; that is finished and near perfect pieces of work. This model is being challenged and schools are finding success in using their wall spaces as a combination of planning and ideational space that shows works in progress alongside tips and strategies that can be applied to learning; ideas generated by the students as they reflect on their learning. The wall spaces become an extension of the student’s exercise books and digital devices onto which the students arrange ideas as they evolve to be shared and commented on. If a school values a Growth Mindset this use of displays spaces goes a long way to reinforcing the belief that learning is messy and requires hard work with mistakes and revisions on the way.

A space to inspire young imaginations, this one in an Alabama Resort, not a school.

A space to inspire young imaginations, this one in an Alabama Resort, not a school.

Undoubtedly the new learning spaces bring a fresh level of excitement to schools and students quickly fall in love with the options and the playfulness they offer. The challenge for schools is to avoid the lure of shiny new toys and ensure that the adoption of flexible spaces is part of a bigger shift in thinking that includes effective pedagogies and supports for teachers who will be using the new spaces.

by Nigel Coutts

Essential Reading:

Nair, P., & Fielding, R. (2005). The language of school design. [Minneapolis, Minn.]: DesignShare.

Nair, P. (2014) Blueprint for Tomorrow: Redesigning Schools for Student-Centered Learning. Harvard Education Press 

The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching & Learning by OWP/P Architects, VS Furtniture, and Bruce Mau Design

Lucas, B., & Claxton, G. (2010). New kinds of smart. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press.

The beauty of unfinished work

There is a danger in seeking finished perfection in all that we do. There is a risk that our students will focus solely on the attributes that define a finished piece and overlook the importance of the process that leads to it. With a shift in our mindset we might be able to celebrate this process and encourage our students to value the learning that occurs along the way.

Guernica by Pablo Picasso  - http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/picasso11.html

Guernica by Pablo Picasso  - http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/picasso11.html

Carol Dweck’s writing on Mindsets has had a significant effect within education. Her research informs us that an individual’s beliefs about their potential to expand their cognitive and creative abilities and their success in doing so is closely linked. Believe you can improve and you have taken the first step towards achieving your goal. For teachers the lesson is that we can play a powerful role in developing the Growth Mindset of our learners through the things we value, the feedback we provide and the culture in which we situate their learning. If we value the processes of learning, creating, thinking and collaborating more than we value the finished product we send a message to our students that we see learning as a continuous act with mistakes, failures and refinement as essential components. 

Failure is a concept with an unhappy history. At times it has been deeply admonished and hidden from view. Individuals who failed were to be shunned or punished. At other times failure was to be avoided by setting the bar for success so low that failure was impossible. The result of this movement was that success became meaningless, achievable by all without risk and through little effort. More recently failure is seen as a part of the learning process, an inevitable consequence of trying something new. Einstein said ‘Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new’. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors and Space X is quoted as saying 'Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.' A culture that accepts failure as a part of the learning process will need to take time to celebrate the steps taken towards learning as much as it celebrates the finished product.

When things go wrong for Space X the results are costly and spectacular but part of the process.

When things go wrong for Space X the results are costly and spectacular but part of the process.

There is an unhealthy obsession in schools with displaying a public face made up of pristine student works that hide and devalue the reality of learning as a messy process full of mistakes and revisions. Maybe this traces back to a time when Gutenberg’s press was literally the final word in publishing. The costs involved in printing required a determined effort to avoid errors. In schools publishing persists as a part of the creative process of writing and sharing with similar expectations for quality in the published works as that set for those printed on a press. This fascination with publishing as the path to perfect finished works persists in the digital age only when the very nature of digital works as open to constant refinement and reworking is ignored. Digital allows levels of accuracy and precision not achievable in other ways but also presents the possibility for a published work to be revisited time and time again by its originator and by yet unknown, future collaborators. A digital work of art, of music of writing is never truly finished, it grows and transforms over time. 

Taking time to celebrate the unfinished product within the learning process is one idea Guy Claxton encouraged during his presentations at the International Conference on Thinking (ICOT). Claxton encourages teachers to ban erasers from their classrooms so that student mistakes are there to see. The message to the students is that mistakes are something that you learn from, a marker of the learning that has occurred and not something to be banished from view. Claxton believes that in a classroom that allows erasers students are taught that smart students don’t make mistakes, a message he insists we must avoid sending. In his classes mistakes are a sign that the learning is not pitched at a level below the needs of the students; if the students are not making mistakes when they engage with new learning the expectation has been set too low.

In seeking an opportunity to celebrate unfinished works Claxton described a school art show titled ‘We never finish anyth” that displayed student artworks in their unfinished glory. Unfinished art in particular has a certain appeal and energy that may allow students to see the creative process and their ability to participate in it differently. Dr Karren Serres discussed the potential of unfinished artwork when interviewed by the BBC about a display at the Courtauld Gallery.  "At a more aesthetic level unfinished works have a quality and appeal all of their own. We can imagine the possibilities of what they would look like if they were finished, but at the same time they have a ghostly quality that is also very beautiful.’  Picasso had a definite view on finishing his artworks 'Woe to you the day it is said that you are finished! To finish a work? To finish a picture? What nonsense! To finish it means to be through with it, to kill it, to rid it of its soul – to give it its final blow; the most unfortunate one for the painter as well as for the picture.’ He also identified with the role of accidents not as mistakes but as an inevitable part of the process and the path to discovering humanity in art 'Accidents, try to change them - it's impossible. The accidental reveals man.’ Claxton encourages schools to explore the use of unfinished artworks as stimulus material for students as part of a culture that values process over finished perfection.

Study for "Guernica" - 1937 Revealing the process behind the masterpiecehttp://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/picasso11.html

Study for "Guernica" - 1937 Revealing the process behind the masterpiece
http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/picasso11.html

Schools that have embraced a Design Thinking approach have the foundation required for a culture that values process over product. Embracing mistakes and failure as part of the learning process needs to be accompanied by a clear message that we are to learn from these situations. What must be avoided is a belief that mistakes are to be accepted without an equal emphasis on identifying and understanding their causes. This model neither admonishes nor ignores mistakes but sees them as fodder for the next lesson, the next attempt in learning, the many stepping-stones to success. Within a rapid prototyping/design thinking approach this attitude towards mistakes is baked into the process, each turning of the design cycle will reveal new lessons from the mistakes of the previous iteration. With opportunities for reflective practice and metacognition real learning can become part of a process that the students are eager to engage in free from fears that their failures are a measure of their fixed and predetermined ability.
 
 By Nigel Coutts
 
 
 

Encouraging Metacognition for Learning

A critical component of learning is the ability to reflect on one’s learning and the processes that occur while we are engaged in learning. If we are to develop independent, empowered learners then we need to build the skills required for metacognition both directly through the provision of suitable strategies and indirectly via the modelling of effective learning that we provide.

Simply defined metacognition is ‘thinking about our thinking’, it is the process of actively engaging with reflective practices that assist us to understand both what we think, why we think it and how we came to think that which we do. As a process within a learning cycle it can be a powerful tool but its truest power comes when it becomes incorporated as a practice of the independent learner who seeks to understand how they learn. The metacognitive learner is able to leverage the strengths of their learning style, apply prior learning, identify barriers to new learning and develop a deeper understanding through their reflective practices. Beyond metacognition we may think of meta-learning as a process through which the self organised learner brings their intellectual powers to bear on the learning task at hand. The individual who understands how they learn and who can manipulate their environment to best suit their learning needs has a better chance of doing so than an individual who must rely on others. 

Neil Anderson who identifies five components of metacognition offers a nice approach to metacognition. Awareness of these components allows the learner to begin to understand their thinking and assist them to focus their thinking at key stages. The five components are identified as '(1) preparing and planning for learning, (2) selecting and using learning strategies, (3) monitoring strategy use, (4) orchestrating various strategies, and (5) evaluating strategy use and learning’ (Anderson 2002). Applied to the example of a student engaging with a learning task we can see how awareness of the five components provides a structure to their approach to learning. The student begins by becoming open to new learning; they focus on the task at hand, consider expectations for the learning, create goals and possibly reflect on how they have been able to achieve similar learning goals in the past. As the learning begins the students select strategies to assist their learning and enhance their understanding; some will need to take notes, others sketch or manipulate items. Using thinking routines at this stage can provide a set of flexible strategies to engage the mind and promote cognition. As the learning continues the metacognitive learner will monitor the strategies they are using and make modifications and adjustments as needed. Questions will be asked and new methods trialed with prior experience of dealing with difficult learning scenarios as a guide. The metacognitive learner will have a range of strategies to utilise and will be able to make decisions about which is most likely to assist them. When the official learning period finishes and the problem is solved the metacognitive learner reflects on their learning and further enhances their skill set ready for the next experience. Raising awareness of these components will encourage metacognitive practice and coupled with presenting strategies for metacognition will aid learning. 

Those familiar with Habits of Mind will instantly identify with Metacognition as it is one of the sixteen habits. It has a special part to play, as it will allow the learner to consider how the other fifteen habits can be applied to their learning.  The sixteen habits of mind provide a powerful set of actions, dispositions and mindsets that combine to enable effective learning across domains. While each of the sixteen habits are important Metacognition is required as an underlying practice if individuals are to engage habits that are not naturally a part of their approach to learning or recognize which is most suitable in a given circumstance. Metacognition allows for the right habit to be identified and applied to the right situation and for the individuals application of the habits to be evaluated and enhanced over time. More information about Metacognition as a Habit of Mind along with strategies for applying it and Thinking Routines to support it can be found at - http://www.rediquest.com/metacognition/

Metacognitive skills can be developed through collaboration and skills developed thusly are transferable to individuals who can then apply these skills to individual problem solving (Sandi-Urena, Cooper & Stevens. 2011).  Sandi-Urena et al. provided students with a problem and allowed time for reflection and collaboration, enabled by prompts, that enacted meaningful social interaction that they found enhanced metacognition. Being able to share ideas about a problem and then reflect on how the problem solving process had evolved allowed richer, more effective metacognition. Three mechanisms to describe why collaboration is effective in enhancing understanding and task performance are identified by Hausmann, Chi & Roy (2004 p547): ‘other-directed explaining occurs when one peer instructs or explains to another partner how to solve a problem, co-construction is defined as the joint construction of knowledge and self-directed explaining is learning from listening to someone self-explain’. This process was applied by a group of Year Six students as they prepared for a ‘Genius Hour’ project. 

Part of the planning process involved students gathering feedback on their plans from a group of peers during structured collaborative discussions. The aim was to enhance student understanding of their design brief through other-directed explaining, co-construction of a refined plan and self-directed explaining as the students sought to analyse and act on the feedback offered by their peers. To this end students reviewed their plans and prepared a short presentation of this for a group of four to five peers. At the conclusion of the presentation students asked their peers a series of questions that focused on aspects of the plan they had identified for improvement. Students used “The Ladder of Feedback’ (See Below) to gather written feedback from their peers. Students had time to respond to and discuss questions and peers offered additional feedback on the plan as presented. After this collaborative discussion students had time to reflect on the feedback and record brief notes as a record of their self-explaining of the feedback before refining their plan. For the students this was their first experience of preparing and sharing a design plan and the first time they had planned a set of questions to ask their peers about their own ideas.

Late in Term Two the collaborative discussions were held with students self-selecting groups for the purpose. Each student took turns at presenting their ideas and then asking questions to gather feedback on specific elements. For some of the students the process of preparing their questions was a challenge and having access to the ‘Ladder of Feedback’ was a nice support for these students. The experience of the interviews was very rewarding for all the students and they each reported that it had enhanced their understanding of their plans and helped them to identify areas that could be improved. In line with the research of Hausmann et al. students reported that the benefits of the interviews came from preparing for the collaborative discussions the process of presenting the design brief, asking the questions and from reflecting on the feedback offered. The students had engaged in other-directed explaining as they prepared and presented their briefs, co-construction of understanding through collaboration during the discussions and finally self-directed instruction as they made sense of the feedback offered. Students who made up the discussion panels reported that the process of providing feedback allowed them to better understand their own plans and to identify potential problems. 

Throughout this project it was important that the students were in charge of the process. They had already invested much time and energy into developing their plans and this process was designed to encourage their reflection on how they may develop the best possible projects. By allowing the students an opportunity to involve their peers in the planning process while retaining ownership of that process was a powerful tool that encouraged metacognition. In this instance the process of thinking about thinking was both collaborative and individual and while the result of a process instigated by the teaching programme, modelled a process that the students can apply to their future learning. Deliberately incorporating metacognitive practices into the learning process can have real benefits for the learners both immediately as seen here in the improved plans that resulted and long term as students are able to independently apply the strategies they have experienced. 


Anderson, N. (2002) The Role of Metacognition in Second Language Teaching and Learning. ERIC Digest - http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED463659

Hausmann, R. G. M., Chi, M. T. H., & Roy, M. (2004, August). Learning from collaborative prob- lem solving: An analysis of three hypothesized mechanism. Paper presented at the proceedings of the 26th annual conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Chicago, IL, pp. 547–552.

Sandi‐Urena, S., Cooper, M., & Stevens, R. (2011). Enhancement of metacognition use and awareness by means of a collaborative intervention. International Journal Of Science Education, 33(3), 323-340. 

Adapted by Mary McFarland, 2006; © President and Fellows of Harvard College (and of Project Zero) 

An Introduction to Design Thinking (Part Two)

In the constructivist-learning model, engagement and experience combine with immersive environments and self-organisation of knowledge to establish a context in which learning occurs naturally. Constructivism has since the time of Dewey become closely affiliated with Project Based Learning and yet despite years of efforts to refine the process the result does not always match the promise (Scheer, Noweski and Meinel. 2012). Scheer et al. argue that ‘Design Thinking’ is capable of providing the structure required for successful constructivist learning and the development of skills required for 21st century citizenship. ‘We want to fill that gap by proposing ‘Design Thinking’ as a meta-disciplinary methodology which offers teachers the needed support through a formalised process. Teachers, as facilitators of learning need to be equipped with up-to-date skills and tools to actually practice on the needed key competence learning.’ So where should a school start and what does it mean to implement ‘Design Thinking’?

For schools in Australia, ‘Design Thinking’ needs to be on your radar thanks to the ongoing implementation of the National Curriculum. The ‘Design and Technologies’ curriculum incorporates ‘Design Thinking’ principles from Foundation to Year Ten with statements such as 'As design skills and design thinking develop, students should have greater input into the development of design briefs for specific identified needs or opportunities.’ and 'In Design and Technologies, in the early years, students are actively involved in projects.’ The curriculum requires students consider the ethics and sustainability of their solutions in their marketing; 'Students become more enterprising in developing and promoting designed solutions. Marketing increasingly draws on social and sustainability considerations, recognising wider societal acknowledgement of ethics and futures thinking.’ and will require collaboration on a scale that will be new to many schools 'They coordinate teams and collaborate with others locally and globally.’ This syllabus is available for use by States and Territories and its influence can be seen in document such as the NSW Science K-10 syllabus that incorporates Science and Technology.

An alternate approach for any school seeking support in implementing a ‘Design Thinking’ approach would be to match the description and requirements of critical and creative thinking provided with the Australian Curriculum against the benefits of design thinking. One statement seems most appropriate for this purpose ‘Critical and creative thinking are fostered through opportunities to use dispositions such as broad and adventurous thinking, reflecting on possibilities, and metacognition (Perkins 1995), and can result from intellectual flexibility, open-mindedness, adaptability and a readiness to experiment with and clarify new questions and phenomena (Gardner 2009).’(Australian Curriculum) It would not be unreasonable to restate this with ‘Design Thinking’ in place of 'critical and creative’ as it is these opportunities that occur within such a framework.

For a school wishing to implement ‘Design Thinking’ the first step needs to be understanding that it is a process which should become entrenched into the broad approach of the school. If the desire is to add pieces of a ‘Design Thinking’ approach then it is unlikely that the full benefits will be achieved. Situated within a culture that allows learning from failure, encourages a growth mindset, values creative and critical thinking and places a high value on learners finding questions that matter ‘Design Thinking’ can be the process that consolidates the schools learning platform.

One starting point for a school wishing to build a culture that supports ‘Design Thinking’ should be the writing of Carol Dweck and the conceptual framework that is embodied in ‘Growth Mindsets’. Beginning with a ‘Growth Mindset’ will allow learners to see mistakes and failure as an opportunity to learn. New research by Melles, Anderson, Barrett & Thompson-Whiteside (2015) found that attitudes to risk-taking played an important role in the success of ‘Design Thinking’ endeavours and that Australians were particularly risk averse. ‘In order to support design thinking in Australian schools and higher education, we need to consider what constitutes a nurturing and supportive environment for creative and innovative thinking. (Melles et al 2015 p200)

When extended to a ‘Design Thinking’ approach a growth mindset will allow each iteration in the design process to be seen as one step closer to a workable solution. Learners with a growth mindset will fear neither feedback nor sharing their ideas in a process of collaboration. The process of giving and receiving feedback is a key piece of ‘Design Thinking’ and one that is well supported by a growth mindset. To learn more about ‘Growth Mindsets’ visit Carol Dwecks website - or read her book - 'Mindset: The New Psychology of Success’. Resources for promoting a Growth Mindset are abundant on the web and a quick search will reveal a wealth of ideas. On Twitter try #growthmindset It is easy to take the approach of placing posters on walls and doing little else but this will only introduce the idea. To genuinely develop a ‘Growth Mindset’ takes time and a concerted effort in shifting the way individuals and groups think and talk about learning. Subtle changes to the way feedback is provided, the nature of conversations around success and the attribution of achievement to characteristics within the individuals control all play an essential role in shifting mindsets.

Promoting a Growth Mindset

Good to Great Advice for Growth Mindsets

Having established a ‘Growth Mindset’ the next step for a school might be to develop the question asking capacity of its learners. ‘In design thinking significant time and energy are dedicated to the problem finding phase’  ‘where as in problem-based learning, students follow accepted theories and principles to solve a clearly defined problem given by the teacher.’ (Melles et al. 2015 p193 & 190) Just as with a ‘Growth Mindset’ establishing a culture that values asking and seeking questions that are worth answering will establish the environment necessary for ‘Design Thinking’. It is quite likely that this will be the first tension point as ‘Design Thinking’ is implemented as there needs to be ample opportunities for learners to seek questions and this is counter to the ‘command and control’ model of teaching and leadership that continues to permeate many institutions. The key is to see the importance of the skill set required to ask quality questions. Fortunately just as with ‘Growth Mindsets’ there are numerous resources to draw on. One of the best is the writing of Warren Berger in his book ‘A More Beautiful Question’. The reader of ‘A More Beautiful Question’ will discover how innovation leaders utilise their ability to ask questions as the starting point of a process for discovery and change. The way a question is posed, the value it is given and the openness in which alternative questions are pursued can have a significant effect on an organisation and a learner’s ability to innovate.

One-way of identifying the type of question most appropriate for ‘Design Thinking’ is embodied by the term ‘Wicked problem’. Richard Buchanan who borrowed the idea from Horst Rittel expanded on the idea of ‘wicked problems’. A ‘wicked problem’ is one with ill-defined terms, confusing information and many conflicting demands that conspire against simple solutions. If there is a single reason for the broad adoption of ‘Design Thinking’ it is the ‘wicked problem’ as it is this class of problem that most confounds traditional problem solving pathways. ‘Design Thinking’ with its focus on solutions suits the demands of ‘wicked problems’ by allowing the learner to concentrate on finding satisfactory solutions rather than needing to find optimum solutions. (Cassim. 2013) In an increasingly complex world the ability to solve problems that do not have one single correct answer is an increasingly valuable skill.

In previous posts I have explored the questions we ask and the utility of allowing students to pursue questions of their own.

 The Questions that Matter most

What Questions shall we ask?

 Questions that encourage deeper thinking

Having established a culture that will allow ‘Design Thinking’ to thrive the next phase is selecting the process or framework that will facilitate the desired results. A ‘Design Thinking’ frame should allow individuals and groups to function in a productive manner that promotes collaboration and engages users in a process where ideation, sharing, iteration, reflection and evaluation combine. From simple models to highly evolved multi-phase processes there is likely to be a framework that works for your particular goals. For the ‘Design Thinker’ the framework provides a scaffold for their thinking and allows them to engage with collaborators in a more productive manner. For the teacher this structure can remove some of the fear that comes from throwing the class open to the students. While chaos at times can produce results it can also consume large quantities of time. A well selected or developed design process should allow time for creative chaos but include time for evaluation of the results and provide steps along the way for the consideration of alternatives.

When getting started you will probably want to use a ‘Design Thinking’ process that has been tried and tested. There are numerous options and most are supported with easy to follow graphics. The importance of a cyclical, iterative process should be clear in any model selected with opportunities for the learner to enter and exit the cycle at the appropriate point. This cyclical process sets ‘Design Thinking’ apart from linear design patterns where the designer moves from one phase to the next and onto a clear conclusion. While a linear design process may be appropriate for traditional graphic or product design where one solution is prepared for consideration by a client, it does not serve the multitude of purposes that ‘Design Thinking’ may be adapted to serve. The one danger with this cyclical process is that some learners may never feel they are ready to exit the cycle of evaluation and refinement. An understanding that needs to be built into the ‘Design Thinking’ culture is that ideas need to be shared and in the end a result should be achieved; endless refinement without sharing is counter productive.

Regardless of the model you choose you will most likely have four to five main phases in your Design Cycle. Fatima Cassim distilled one model of the ‘Design Cycle’ from academic writings on the topic. Cassim identifies the key phases as: Formulating, Representing, Moving, Evaluating Reflecting

Adapted from Fatima Cassim (2013)

Adapted from Fatima Cassim (2013)

For added detail at each phase of the cycle you may find the Design Cycle developed for the International Baccalaureate useful. It has four main phases with up to three distinct steps within each.

Image courtesy of IB World School - http://www.ibo.org/

Image courtesy of IB World School - http://www.ibo.org/

 Other options for a Design Cycle include the excellent model developed by Dr Charles Burnette available online at idesignthinking.com or the detailed process developed by the Nueva School. An extensive set of resources and professional development is offered through NoTosh.com including tools for planning and strategies such as ‘Hexagonal Thinking’ that will encourage learners to make connections between ideas. For schools wishing to apply ‘Design Thinking’ as a strategy for solving problems and not just as a teaching tool the experts at IDEO have produced a toolkit for educators called ‘‘Design Thinking’ for Educators’. This resource provides a set of tools that can be adapted to solve many of the problems schools are likely to face from reimagining spaces to developing new learning programmes. Stanford’s dSchool is a highly respected leader in the field of ‘Design Thinking’ and share many valuable resources through the web. For any school looking to implement ‘Design Thinking’ their Bootcamp Bootleg is a valuable set of resources that can be tailored to individual needs. While some of these resources are aimed at users beyond the classroom, the ideas can be modified to suit a classroom setting with a little creative thinking. To this end dSchool has a site dedicated to the K-12 environment and provides a wealth of tailored resources based upon the programmes developed for University students.

Hexagonal Thinking courtesy of NoTosh - http://notosh.com/

Hexagonal Thinking courtesy of NoTosh - http://notosh.com/

As you delve deeper into ‘Design Thinking’ you may wish to build a model of the ‘Design Cycle’ that suits your needs as a school and body of learners. Taking this step can be a learning experience and the result is a device that is understood more deeply than if you borrow a process from elsewhere. This is the thinking behind the ‘Creative Process Planner’. It was developed with ideas borrowed from many other ‘Design Cycles’ and is aimed at serving the needs of students as they approach their ‘Genius Hour’ projects. It includes a range of sub-steps and gives just enough advice to help students move ahead with their projects. It was developed initially in ‘Inspiration’ the well-known mind mapping software and gradually adapted to be used on the web. It is presented here with an open licence for schools to adapt to their needs.

Once you have the foundations of a ‘Design Thinking’ culture in place, you may like to explore providing a space for it to occur within. ‘Even more so, they need space to try out different mental models and methods to connect abstract knowledge with concrete applications and thereby, being able to convert and apply abstract and general principles (acquired through instruction) in meaningful and responsible acting in life (acquired through construction). (Scheer, Noweski and Meinel 2012 p10) ‘Design Thinking’ is a philosophy that fits nicely alongside the ideals of the Maker Movement and providing a space for ‘Design Thinking’ that is flexible and encourages collaboration can do much to legitimise the endeavour.

 by Nigel Coutts

Read Introduction to Design thinking (Part One)

Buchanan, R. (1992). Wicked Problems in ‘Design Thinking’. Design Issues, 8(2), 5-21

Cassim, F. (2013). Hands On, Hearts On, Minds On: ‘Design Thinking’ within an Education Context. International Journal Of Art & Design Education, 32(2), 190-202.

Gardner, H. 2009, 5 Minds for the Future, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde, Sydney.

Melles, G. Anderson, N. Barrett, T.  & Thompson-Whiteside, S. 2014 Problem finding through design thinking in education Chapter in Innovations in Higher EducationTeaching and Learning - http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/S2055-364120150000003027

Perkins, D. 1995, The Intelligent Eye: learning to think by looking at art, Getty Centre for the Arts, California.

Scheer, Andrea, Noweski, Christine, & Meinel, Christoph. (2012). Transforming Constructivist Learning into Action: ‘Design Thinking’ in Education. Design and Technology Education, 17(3), 8-19.

 

An Introduction to Design Thinking (Part 1)

‘Design Thinking’ might just be the next ‘new’ old thing in education. In her recent address to the National Press Club, Catherine Livingstone of The Business Council of Australia included ‘Design Thinking’ amongst the critical STEM skills required for Australia’s future. But what do we mean by ‘Design Thinking’ and why should educators be interested?

Stanford University has been a pioneer of ‘Design Thinking’ since founding its dSchool in 2005. Founder David Kelley explains that ‘the central tenet of Design Thinking, isn't one of aesthetic or utility, but of empathy and human observation’. It is a process for finding new ways of solving problems and for identifying problems worth solving. It is much more than a process of design and it provides a structure in which critical thinking, reflection and evaluation is the key. Seen in this way it is what 21st century teaching and learning is all about.

"We moved from thinking of ourselves as designers to thinking of ourselves as design thinkers. We have a methodology that enables us to come up with a solution that nobody has before." — David Kelley

In a traditional problem solving model the solution is derived to solve the problem that has been presented. ‘Design Thinking’ begins a step before this with the identification of the problem a subtle but important difference. The problem identification process is critical as it at this point that we begin to evaluate why problems need a solution. According to Kelley the measure is empathy or ‘needfinding’ a process in which ‘ it was just important to worry about figuring out the kind of human needs that were worth working on and then doing the problem-solving’. ‘Design Thinking’ is not something that happens separate to humanity it is a core response to the needs of people and it begins with asking questions about making the world a better place.

The methodology of ‘Design Thinking’ is the key to its value. It provides a structure and language for collaborative problem solving that allows teams to be more powerful than they would without it. Ewen McIntosh of ‘NoTosh' describes it as the box that gives you a place to work within. 'You want to think creatively, you NEED the box to think inside of. You need a common process to go into new places.' Rather than throwing out the box, ‘Design Thinking’ turns the box into a worthwhile process that facilitates problem solving and ideation. In this model the box is not a constraint but a structure that enhances creativity.

‘Design Thinking’ engages learners in a highly iterative process grounded in evaluation and critical reflection, both highly valued processes. Research by Looijenga, Klapwijk and de Vries titled 'The effect of iteration on the design performance of primary school children’ explored the benefits of a highly iterative design process for young students. They found that 'Effective knowledge expansion comes by thinking about already acquired knowledge and also by searching for definitions and explanations of not yet understood knowledge. Both activities are practiced during design activities.’ This study used simple design tasks with young learners, not the more involved and student driven tasks typical of a ‘Design Thinking’ process and yet the results showed that the iterative process of design tasks required high order thinking skills that could be transferred to other learning contexts. 'Design concepts emerge and become complete through iteration of analysis, synthesis and evaluation’. For schools using Bloom’s taxonomy the evidence here is clear that ‘Design Thinking’ will not only target the high level thinking skills which are so desirable but will require them to be used over and over again by the students as they evolve their ideas.

For advocates of a ‘Genius Hour’ approach ‘Design Thinking’ is unlikely to be a knew idea. The research by Looijenga et al. adds validity to such an approach ‘Our case study shows that iteration, freedom of choice, collaboration and presentation improve the effectiveness of design and technology activities.’ The beauty of ‘Design Thinking’ is that is a highly collaborative process that leads to the presentation of ideas that are evolved through iteration. That the process begins with the identification of the problems and needs that will become central to the project adds further values as learners are allowed to develop ideas with both personal and broad meaning.

Central to the iterative process is ongoing evaluation of ideas. Allowing students to experience an environment where learning occurs from self-identification of what works and what does not has great value. In ‘Design Thinking’ failure is part of the process that leads to learning. Each time an idea is found to be lacking the learner moves one step closer to a plan that has a chance of working. In the world of start-ups and tech companies this mentality is given voice in catch cries such as ‘fail fast’ or ‘move fast and break things’. Students learn to evaluate their ideas and learn from each iteration. If our goal is to develop a ‘Growth Mindset’ where failure is viewed as a positive learning experience ‘Design Thinking’ provides an ideal process and opportunities to develop an attitude that can be readily transferred beyond the design project.

A “‘Design Thinking’’ approach will also ensure students are engaging in a process of critical reflection and metacognition. 'Effective reflection for learning through experience requires a capacity for understanding one’s thinking and learning processes, critical self-awareness of values, beliefs and assumptions, and an openness to alternative, challenging perspectives.’ according to Debra Coulson and Marina Harvey of Macquarie University. Their research focused on the role of reflection at three critical points in the learning cycle and which occur repeatedly within a ‘Design Thinking’ process. ‘Reflection for Action’ can occur for students as they consider the nature of ‘Design Thinking’ and use scaffolds for their collaboration which will support reflective practice. ‘Reflection in Action’ is part of the culture of ‘Design Thinking’ in which learners are constantly engaging in a process of questioning, evaluating, testing and refining their ideas based on their observations and analysis. Including a formal reflective process into this mix can add structure and refine the process while recording the thinking that is taking place for later analysis and review. ‘Reflection on Action’ occurs at end points in the ‘Design Process’ but as in many respects the end point is the start of a new cycle the reflective process has greater meaning than it may otherwise. In a “‘Design Thinking’’ model this ‘reflection on action’ is what spurs the learner onto more action and continued learning. 'Reflection and learning may continue long after the experience and the academic requirements are complete, particularly if scaffolding has been effective in supporting the development of reflective ability and agency.'

Observe a group of students engaged in ‘Design Thinking’ and you will see similarities to the way students play. Unsurprisingly Looijenga et al. noted this in their study. 'Playing includes experimenting with the same thing, with small variations, over and over again. Every repetition of the experiment gives improvement in performance.’ This sort of constructive play according to John Dewey, amongst other skills and dispositions encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning. What you are also likely to see is learners engaging in a process of self-explaining in which they describe their thinking to themselves or share their ideas with collaborator or teacher. ‘Eliciting self-explanations clearly enhances learning and understanding’ states Chi, De Leeuw, Chiu and LaVancher in their study on the effect of self-explaining. Chi et al. found that self-explaining is a constructive activity and it occurs frequently within the ‘Design Thinking’ process. Further they found it encourages integration of new learning with old and as it is a continuous process where partial explanations are evaluated and added to ‘self-explaining' can manage conflicts and misunderstandings between new and old knowledge. ‘Design Thinking’ encourages this sort of iterative self-explaining and constructive play.

In Part Two of ‘An Introduction to Design Thinking’ explore how ‘Design Thinking’ can be implemented by schools and discover a range of resources from experts in the field that can maximise its benefits for learners while making the process easy for teachers to embed.

 

Coulson, D., & Harvey, M. (2013). Scaffolding student reflection for experience-based learning: a framework. Teaching In Higher Education, 18(4), 401-413. doi:10.1080/13562517.2012.752726

Chi, M., De Leeuw, N., Chiu, M., & Lavancher, C. (1994). Eliciting Self-Explanations Improves Understanding. Cognitive Science, 18(3), 439-477. doi:10.1207/s15516709cog1803_3

Dewey, J. (1899/1976). Play and imagination in relation to early education. In The middle works 1 (pp. 339–343). Carbondale & Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press.

Looijenga, A., Klapwijk, R., & de Vries, M. (2014). The effect of iteration on the design performance of primary school children. International Journal of Technology & Design Education, 25(1), 1-23. doi:10.1007/s10798-014-9271-2

 

 

 

 

Is STEM the Key? (Part Three)

The message from PwC is clear, Australia needs to take action now if we are not to slip behind the rest of the world. 'Australia is waking up to the fact that the good times can’t go on forever. In the face of economic challenges and a digital revolution that’s reshaping business and the workforce, we need to act.’ (PwC - A Smart Move). What Australia needs is an increased focus on STEM to enable us to compete in a global economy driven by ‘data, digital technologies and innovation. According to PwC seventy-five percent of the fastest growing occupations require STEM related skills but it is in this area that Australia is lacking.

The Me2 is an Australian designed and built 3D Printer that is largely aimed at the Education market - http://me3d.com.au/

The Me2 is an Australian designed and built 3D Printer that is largely aimed at the Education market - http://me3d.com.au/

PwC analysis found that increasing our STEM workforce by 1% would add $57.4 billion to our GDP in coming years. 'Inextricably woven into the fabric of our economic future is the impact of digital disruption, arguably the most significant mega-trend of the 21st century. Digital technologies are radically changing the way we live, consume and work.’  Be it in the form of machine learning, 3D printing social media or crowdsourcing the impact of digital is seen to be everywhere and everywhere it is having a disruptive influence, changing the make-up of our workforce and creating new pressures in the job market as demand for STEM qualifications out paces supply and old occupations are replaced. Among the jobs that will give way to automation in the next 20 years according to PwC are accounting clerks and bookkeepers (97.5%), checkout operators (96.9%) general office support (96.1%), personal assistants (92.4%) and farm and forestry workers (92.5%).

'Modelling shows that the jobs most likely to endure over the next couple of decades are ones that require high levels of social intelligence, technical ability and creative intelligence. This includes doctors and nurses, teachers, engineers, and information communication and technology (ICT) professionals, and managers.'

While the report predicts some of our present occupations are likely to linger it also suggests that the future will include many jobs that do not yet exist. These yet unknown occupations will be a result of innovation and the report card for Australia is not good with our competency and capacity to innovate being rated by OECD as ‘average’.  

'In order to realise our potential, Australia needs a workforce that is technologically savvy and able to innovate. And one of the best ways to do this is by improving capabilities in STEM.'

The answer for business beyond increasing its capacity for innovation is to partner with education to build a STEM capable workforce for the future. Through open discussion with educators and by building partnerships, offering internships, and breaking down stereotypes business can play a part in delivering change through education reports PwC. The key is the concept of ‘educating to innovate’.

So far this discussion has been somewhat clear cut, the future workforce will require STEM related skills and the way to develop this is through partnerships between educators, business and governments to bring about the changes in the education system required to produce suitably qualified STEM graduates. But is it possible that STEM is just another fad that will come and go and does the call for STEM distract us from identifying the true skills our students need?

Not all writers support STEM as the answer to the needs of the future workforce. Author of ‘In defines of a Liberal Education’ Fareed Zakaria calls for caution as we rush towards a STEM focused educational system. 'This dismissal of broad-based learning, however, comes from a fundamental misreading of the facts — and puts America on a dangerously narrow path for the future.’ While Zakaria agrees that innovation is important he argues that it is not restricted to STEM subjects and that in limiting student choices or encouraging a STEM pathway the benefits of a well-rounded education are lost. What is needed is a broadly applicable ability for innovation, critical thinking, imagination, passion and social intelligence. 'Innovation in business has always involved insights beyond technology.’ writes Zakaria.

Unsurprisingly there are those who feel Zakaria got it wrong. 'All obsessions can be dangerous’ points out Dr. Jalees Rehman in response to Zakaria. According to Rehman STEM is all about teaching students to be critical and creative thinkers and is not about the transfer of technical skills as Zakaria alleges. Rehman is clear in his response that STEM is part of but not the whole answer and he calls for a balanced approach with a strong emphasis on the teaching of creativity and critical thinking which are described as the essential constructs of STEM but also of the arts and humanities. Rehman calls for greater inclusion of the arts and humanities in STEM education and for this to be a two-way relationship.

There is the potential here for a great error to be made and it is revealed in some of the underlying assumptions that Zakaria bases his assessment on. Teaching in the STEM field can be all about creativity and critical thinking and it often is but there are also the countless classes that have a focus on teaching knowledge for later recall with bland skills taught in isolation and ‘follow the instruction’ experiments where the results are know and the method is carved in stone. The design and make task where every student produces the same dust pan, the mathematics lesson where there is one method to solve the problem are all too familiar and do nothing to promote creativity, critical thinking or innovation. Not that the humanities are excused from such mundane teaching practices. How many students are taught the correct analysis of poetry, the fill in the blanks model of writing or the colour by numbers approach to art lessons where every student produces a near identical piece of art.

The call to arms has been made and it is clear that the future will need a workforce capable of innovation on a new scale with the skills of creativity, critical thinking and imagination at the cornerstone of the new workers skill set. As writer and futurist Alvin Toffler puts it the 'the illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.’ With the role that technology has to play in this future a grounding in STEM is undoubtedly essential but so too is balance and within this balance an emphasis on the 'long life' skills that will allow individuals and groups to put their knowledge, capacities and passions to good use in creating the innovative future we desire.

 

By Nigel Coutts

 

Read Part One

Read Part Two

The cultivation of empathy

The cultivation of empathy and understanding for our students and their needs is central to the tenets of individualisation, differentiation and personal growth. We know that an essential requirement for effective learning is a safe and accepting environment in which every learner has access to the respect and dignity they deserve. However, even equipped with this awareness and a desire to achieve this goal establishing a culture of empathy and understanding that embraces all students presented unique challenges. 

A simple definition of empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In most instances this is not such a challenging task that requires little else but an ability and willingness to see things from another’s perspective. Where empathy becomes challenging is in those situations where the perspective of the ‘other’ is outside of the realm of our experience, where our understanding of things is challenged. Unfortunately this is most likely to occur for teachers when we encounter students who require empathy and understanding most.

In many cases teachers caring for a disabled person are able to provide the empathetic environment they require to thrive. A student with a physical disability, short or long term can expect a host of accommodations to ensure their learning is maximised. To a slightly lesser extent the same is true for students with a variety of sensory challenges. Empathy for those with certain types of intellectual or behavioural conditions seems to present a greater challenge and I present the following as examples.

Recently I taught a student who is High Functioning Autistic. It was a pleasure to teach him and while we could recall moments throughout the year that we would prefer to forget we also had many moments of true learning together. His autism presents genuine barriers to his ability to perceive the world in a fashion similar to his peers. Rigidity of thinking and action dominate his approach and confound many situations for him. Those who know him well understand this and are able to make suitable accommodations. The difficulty comes not from his autism but from people’s perceptions of his actions. To some he is seen as deliberately disobedient and in need of strong discipline. They see a boy who chooses to act the way he does and in this perception they fail to empathise. The rigidity of thought that he experiences and is also aware of is a barrier that only true empathy can see past and ensures only empathetic teachers are likely to establish the conditions he needs for personal growth.

Many years ago I had the privilege of teaching at a special needs school. It was the most rewarding teaching experience I have had. I recall on a number of times having members of the school’s surrounding community volunteer to spend time helping the students. These caring members of the community would offer their time in the belief that they could do some good for the ‘unfortunate’ students they saw entering the school each day. Very few came back, many left part way through the day suddenly remembering an appointment. These caring people were confronted by what they saw and were not able to cope with the realities of it. They felt so sorry for the students that they failed to empathise with them at all. Empathy was the key to meeting the needs of these students for it was empathy that allowed you to understand a little of the world they lived in. My strongest memory of my time with these students was how happy they were. I learned from them what made them happy, what routines and rituals they had that they made them smile. They engaged with the world from a different reference point and the challenges and ‘disabilities’ they experienced did not limit their ability to experience joy. Singing 'Bob the Builder' with a five year old dancing in circles with you as their may-pole or watching a young girl's face light up with absolute joy as you make her favourite colour appear from mixing paint in a sink reveal the special roles we can have as teachers. Once it was understood that the children were happy and once it was understood how this could be achieved the daily experience of working and learning became an uplifting experience as is the case for all teaching.

Truly cultivating empathy for our students is in reality a complex task, at least as complex as our students but it will always be an essential ingredient in a culture of learning. 

by Nigel Coutts

Thanks to #asiaED and @asiaEDchat for asking the question - How do we cultivate empathy and understanding for our students and their needs in school?