Category: Impact

By: Jonathan Browning

Coming into Open Design+, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew it was about reimagining learning at Duke, but I had no idea what form that may take. I knew about open source, but only in relation to software. I knew there would be a lot of Zoom, which I thought I didn’t like. However, I soon realized I was framing the situation poorly. Rather than feeling uncertain by the openness of the project, I feel free. Rather than only thinking about open source software, I see it as a framework that prioritizes collaboration, community, and transparency; ideas that I am striving to better incorporate into who I am. And, rather than focusing on my preconceived notions of Zoom, I realized that what I saw as Zoom’s shortcomings may have been my own.

I am glad I gave Zoom another chance because, of everything that I’m excited about, I am most excited to collaborate with everyone in the program, because it’s clear they’re incredible individuals. Just from listening to their ideas, talking with them, and doing some design work with them – using methodologies that are new to me, yet feel familiar – I feel like I’ve grown as a person. Reimagining learning still sounds daunting, but it feels possible now that I know who I am surrounded by.

Though the specifics elude me, I believe reimagining learning means putting the person at the center of the learning process and ensuring there is equity across the process. I’ve always considered myself a realist, bordering on the pessimistic side but, with this group, I am firmly in the optimism camp. I hope that the experience I bring to the group helps us design something that puts Duke students first and gives them a greater sense of control over their learning. 

By: Kaelyn Griffiths

I think the most exciting thing about this program is that we are focusing on issues that we have an incredible opportunity to actually fix right now. In the midst of this global pandemic and a shift to online learning, it has forced everyone involved in the education system to reevaluate how we learn and structure education. Student input is even more critical than ever before and I think programs like this, that are student-driven, can really promote change that is beneficial for our peers. 

With OpenDesign+, I hope that my team can design something that will practically solve an issue of learning at Duke, but be creative and radical enough to think outside the confines of what has already been done. I have concerns that, because this is my hope, a more radical approach may be rejected by administrative leaders. Although we have met with a lot of these leaders and they seem to be open to exploring new ideas, especially in these unprecedented times, actually putting our research to use seems like an obstacle. 

I think the design models that promote quick, creative thought are most exciting to me because they force me to stop overthinking and overanalyzing (which I do a lot) and to just let my ideas flow. I think I’ve been so conditioned to making sure that I articulate all of my ideas perfectly that I limit myself in a lot of ways. In connection with me, the concepts related to open source values create a safe space for open collaboration and that space helps me to be more transparent with my ideas.

Encompassing the discussions the group has already had and my own perspective, reimagining learning for me is abolishing the idea that success is linked to a numbered and standardized system. Giving opportunity to students to create their own learning and praising compassion, problem-solving skills, empathy, and critical thinking is what I believe true learning should represent. I hope to always bring a fresh perspective to the group that is rooted in my intuitive and empathetic nature, which I think are key skills outside of “hard skills” that work to solve real-world problems.

By: Caroline Surret

In my early time with OpenDesign+, I have become acutely aware of the possibility that comes with the uncertainty of the current moment. Through taking advantage of this moment, I am hopeful that our teams will make responsible and well-informed design choices that positively impact Duke students. Additionally, with equity at the center of so many of our team’s conversations over the last week and a half, I am hopeful that the solutions we design will be rooted in equity and justice–issues that, in an educational context, have been exacerbated by distance and online learning.

While the possibility to make a substantial change in a higher education context is exciting, it’s also intimidating as I understand the responsibility that comes with designing for human beings. Open Design principles of inviting stakeholders to the table and designing with a focus on user outcomes will help to mitigate the risk of designing a solution that is ineffective or, at worst, harmful.

I am excited to continue the work of reimagining learning through an open design lens in the coming weeks, as I see a clear need for changes in higher education that will allow students to feel empowered and fulfilled as learners–particularly as learners who are navigating a new digital education landscape. In the next phase of our work, I am confident that our team will remain united around our collective goals and make progress toward improving education for Duke students.

By: Florence Wang

The first week was a great introduction to what the broader purpose of Open Design+ is. Originally, I was really uncertain about what exactly we would be doing and although we still haven’t exactly narrowed the scope yet, I am so excited that the work we are doing might actually have a tangible impact not only at Duke, but at universities nationwide. That’s why I think that we need to design an educational model that is both easily adaptable and covers a lot of bases so that it can be used expansively.  

In regard to open source methodology, I definitely find it easy to have a  “cookie-cutter” mindset when approaching problems and I find it hard to really reach outside of my personal box because of how easy it is to be confined by certain societal constructs, especially in terms of the education system. However, the ideas of divergent thinking and creativity that are attached to open design thinking are both super inspirational and helpful in terms of allowing me to think about the world differently. I had never done a design sprint before, and both the one that we did with Kevin and the IBM certificate pushed me to delve deeper when asking questions and approaching problems. I don’t think I have ever asked a question over and over again until it has completely transformed and broken past its surface-level meaning until now. 

Additionally, the idea and effectiveness of grades is something that I’ve thought about a lot in both high school and college. However, I just assumed that grades were too ingrained in our “system” for there to really be any change. But after hearing about the MTC and hearing one of our actual Dean’s talk about a potential educational model with no grades or even majors, I feel like I can actually see a future where this is possible. Before, my ideas of a “reimagined” educational system were probably very limited. But now, I honestly think that learning (both in and outside of the classroom) can become rid of this “banking” method, incorporate adaptability and flexibility, and value this student-teacher “with” relationship instead of “for” relationship.