The following research group descriptions are archived because they are no longer offered, the researcher is on sabbatical, or the group is taking a break. Please contact the researcher or an advisor to learn more about these groups.
Winter 2024
STEM Outreach: Alternative Spring Break
HCDE is collaborating with UW's Riverways Education Program for STEM Alternative Spring Break 2024 (details here). We are recruiting a team of 4-5 HCDE students to lead a STEM outreach workshop in Neah Bay High School during Spring break from March 17- March 22.
The team is expected to:
- Attend a preparatory seminar in Winter 2024 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30-5:50 pm. The learning goals of this seminar include culturally responsive teaching and universal design for learning (poster on the curriculum).
- Develop the curriculum based on what they learn in the seminar and iterate on HCDE’s past curriculum and lead the workshop in Neah Bay.
Credits & resources:
- We recommend selected HCDE Undergraduate students to register for 2 credits for HCDE 496 as it can count towards the experiential learning requirement.
- Alternatively, students have the option to register for EDUC 401 (not both). HCDE Master’s students can also apply and register for HCDE 596 or EDUC 401.
Riverways organizers will be managing students’ lodging and expenses for the work. You will also have opportunities to explore and learn about the communities through hikes, museum visits, beach days, and events.
Questions? Email Arpita, HCDE assistant teaching professor, at arpitab@uw.edu.
Autumn 2023
HCDE K-12 Outreach Workshops
To introduce K-12 students to the human centered design (HCD) process, we have been conducting workshops using design activities. For example, in a “design charette,” students are given a particular design space to explore (such as user interfaces for a website, mobile app, or a physical device). In a very short period of time (two hours or less), working in small groups, they brainstorm user needs, develop use-case scenarios, and create interaction designs for an application. We have run these design workshops with students at various educational levels, from middle school to graduate programs, and with K-12 teachers.
We believe that participatory activities such as this design charette, are effective in outreach and getting students interested in how technology influences people and our planet. In a dub talk (July 5, 2017), “Filling the Pipeline: Design & Engineering Workshops for K-12 Outreach,” Professor Andy Davidson summarized the various HCDE outreach efforts. We recommend that you watch the video.
In this DRG, we will continue to broaden our outreach efforts for human centered design in K-12 schools. UW student teams will help develop curricula and materials for design workshops, rehearse, and then go into the classrooms and lead K-12 students in the workshop. They will reflect on their experiences in the workshops and prepare a report. We will use these findings to further develop the outreach curricula.
We are looking for dedicated and enthusiastic students at all levels (BS, MS, PhD) who are able to consistently participate and help with this work. Eligible students should be familiar with the user centered design process, and have already taken HCDE 210, 318, or 518. Experience working with, teaching, or mentoring young students is a plus.
For questions please contact arpitab@uw.edu.
Arpita B, Assistant Teaching Professor, HCDE
Andrew Davidson, Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus, HCDE