Hogan Preparatory Academy | MECA Methods 2.0
Clark Stinson Photography
The Challenge:
How might we begin to integrate Design Thinking into our curriculum?
In late July, our Education team partnered with Hogan Preparatory Academy to offer MECA Methods 2.0 - a continuation of our design thinking workshops for educators. This time around, the objective for Hogan’s educators was to build a scaffolded real world learning project.
Final Pitches
Don Bickham, Freshman Seminar Instructor
Final Pitch: Developing personalized growth plans with his students (in tandem with the Child Hope Scale) for his Freshman Seminar Class.
Lori Wetmore, Chemistry Teacher
Final Pitch: Designing unique ways with students to follow medical recommendations (e.g. following vaccine mandates, wearing sunscreen).
Danielle Dillard, Geometry Teacher
Final Pitch: Incorporating a “Tiny House Shelters for the Houseless” project within her curriculum.
Amanda Wood, Consumer Math Teacher
Final Pitch: Addressing the most important issues students face around money, and solving them in class with design sprints.
The Next Phase
Make It Real
Educators will be taking the projects they developed over the course of the week, and expanding it further as the year goes on. Utilizing what they’ve learned through design thinking and the help of our resources - they’ll think through barriers, potential partners, and how to reach their project’s optimum potential.
After this experience:
100% of educators said they were committed to using design thinking in the classroom.
100% of educators believe that all kids are innate creators and starters.
100% of educators agree that real-world learning experiences are fundamental in closing the opportunity gap.
“Our students already do creative hacks, innovation, etc. in their everyday lives, but they don't connect that to the academic mindset/classroom setting. We need to reconnect these two settings for our students to value the academic mindset.”
- Lori Wetmore, Educator at Hogan Preparatory Academy
