Summary of the discussion from E&PDE21 workshop on: Transition to Online: What Have We Learnt?
Following the E&PDE21 workshop on: Transition to Online: What Have We Learnt?, the challenges and examples of good practices in online education were shared and captured.
Challenges identified:
- Students reluctant to turn cameras on
- Digital Break out rooms are difficult to manage – You don’t get a good sense of student discussions – You might feel you are interrupting
- Early prototyping was greatly reduced
- Introverted students feel alienated
- Opportunistic interactions happen less
- First year students don’t build up a bond with each other and the staff.
- Group think become prevalent
- Sharing design work becomes difficult
- Difficult to study at home – shared accommodation
- Lack of spontaneity because of overthinking
- The computer screen feels 2D and there is a lack of 3D thinking
- Difficult to get a sense of student wellbeing
- Team building is difficult
- 1-2-1 discussions with students are heavily time constrained.
- Hard to measure engagement
- Content needs rethought for online
- Online behavior can be less formal and more a kin to social media
- Screen fatigue
- The “human centered” element can get lost as part of the design process
Key challenges
- Opportunistic interactions happen less
- The computer screen feels 2D and there is a lack of 3D thinking
- Difficult to study at home – shared accommodation
Solutions to key challenges:
- “Fika Room” where students can drop-in
- Using novel technology such as Gathertown/slack/discord for a virtual university.
- Plan opportunities for spontaneity
- Using alternative materials to encourage early prototypes e.g. Play-Doh
- Change thinking of model making as a proof of concept and not an end goal
- Dedicating time to activates that students skip in a virtual environment
- Quick Hackathon type activates using £1 store materials
- Using AR/VR (still very expensive)
- Adapt public places to support teaching – Physical spaces for online learning.
- More time at home = Productivity and more screen time. Designing value adding activates away from the screen.
- Designing different types of activates. Eyes closed learning?
- Learning on mobile
- Using Social media to create a sense of community
- Using meditation to alleviate stress
- Using novel technologies for peer-to-peer feedback
- Send students on a “walkabout activity” to observe and learn