Sometimes it’s not just the students who get to have transformative experiences. This June, English Professor Sharon Alker and Art Professor Justin Lincoln attended a week-long workshop at the Stanford d-school, where the goal is to help participants—students or faculty—use design to make change where(ever) they are.
Alker and Lincoln went to the d-school as part of their work with a group of faculty and staff designing a new concentration in human-centered design (HCD). What they learned there has been shaping some of the group’s conversations about curricular design.
We asked them about their experience and what they acquired that might be of value to the Whitman community.
What did you expect going in?
Alker: “When I went there originally, I wanted to get some strategies immediately on how to use design techniques in activities and assignments for a spring course I'm teaching on literature and wicked problems. I acquired ample strategies and techniques which I hope we can share with faculty, but also much more.”
Lincoln: “I originally signed up with a certain ambivalence. I was really curious but also kind of expected that it was just going to be like a capitalist business cult. In the end my reservations were very small-minded and I’m very grateful that I had a chance to go.”
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