Designing for Education: How to optimize the User Experience

Proposed by João Menezes, Graphics/Interaction Design student from UNIVILLE University, Brazil. Has been researching about Virtual Learning Environments for three years at college and has published work and papers about the theme on Brazilian magazines. Has been working as a volunteer with the Mozilla Labs Design Challenges for a year now, proposing 4 concepts for different challenges/concept series as well as the Crowdsource Crowsourcing project. Is also responsible for the Campus Reps engagement program on the north of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Twitter: @joaoamenezes / Blog: joaom.tumblr.com

Course Description

Instructional Design is a field of study that's directly related to cognitive and behavioral sciences. Its main objective is to maximize the experience of teaching and learning on special environments. This course is focused on VLE (Virtual Learning Environments). Many of the VLEs we have today are just file storage systems or discussion boards. Our mission then is to build interfaces, based on Ergonomics and Aesthetics concepts, that are easy to use, visually attractive and that motivate the users (not only students, but teachers as well) to participate on an active manner, not a passive one.

The course starts with an introduction to Infodesign, Human-centered design and Gestalt and Cognitive principles, so that every solution proposed can be coherently reasoned.

Before effectively proposing solutions to different learning scenarios, some "Personas-based" exercises will be done, so that the Designer can put him/herself into the role of the user.

After knowing the target audience, group exercises will happen around some specific questions: how can Instructional Design make the level of interaction among students, teachers and classmates to resemble the one they have when on conventional teaching methodologies? How can the basic principles of Gestalt and Cognitive sciences build the easiest path to things? How to work with open web standards and accessibility? How to explore multimedia content?

The course ends with rough concepts made into mock-up or prototypes, that are thoroughly analyzed via multi design thinking tools.

The student that attends this course will be able to develop user experience designs to be applied to various systems.

What you should know

• Basic notions of graphical presentations
  
  • Why: You'll need to use graphical tools and softwares (Photoshop, Fireworks, GIMP, etc)
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: Via the mock-up or prototypes further presented to the group.
    
• Very basic notions of Information Architecture
  
  • Why: basic knowledge makes it easier to follow the activities and discussions. It is not a rigid requirement, though.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: during the normal rhythm of classes.
    
• Good, objective writing skills (English)
  
  • Why: It's a way to make things faster and easier for the whole group.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: during the normal rhythm of classes.
    

What you can expect to learn

• Design Thinking methodology
  
  • Why: It will be the basis of all of the activities.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: doing design-oriented analyses, during the normal rhythm of classes.
    
• Information Architecture
  
  • Why: It's the first step to take before doing the prototype or mock-up.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: You'll have academic concepts taught to you.
    
• The 4 I's: Information Design / Instructional Design / Interaction Design / Interface Design
  
  • Why: They are the guides for all of the activities.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: You'll have academic concepts taught to you.
    
• User Experience Design (UX)
  
  • Why: This is your final objective - achieve a high quality UX design proposal
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill: You'll have academic concepts taught to you. You'll be able to openly discuss the problems and solutions with your classmates. You'll present your ideas at the end of the course.
    

What you might learn if you work hard

• Advanced 4I's knowledge: Information Design / Instructional Design / Interaction Design / Inteface Design
  
  • Why: You'll have personas-based scenarios of study. It's up to you determine the depths of your researches. You'll be able to openly discuss the problems and solutions with your classmates.
  • How you will demonstrate this skill at the end of the course: With the final quality of your proposals.
    
• Advanced User Experience planning and execution
  
  • Why: It's up to you determine the depths of your researches.
    
  • How you will demonstrate this skill at the end of the course: With the final quality of your proposals.

Things we won't cover

• Advanced Graphics Design / Illustration skills
  
  • Why: as we're building mock-up or prototypes, advanced graphic skills won't be covered.
    
• Advanced programming - HTML, CSS, JS
  
  • Why: this is a Design-focused course.

What will I build?

• Final project: Personas-based, education oriented proposal for a complete User Experience Design.
  • This is the result of all your researches, discussions, rough concepts and ideas.
    
  • It will demonstrate your ability to use bilateral thinking, being able to put yourself into the user's role, and propose a very well structured UX design plan.
    

Course basing / References

• The curriculum is made specifically to P2PU. Some books and websites will be suggested as complimentary reading.

Comments? Suggestions? Praise?