Applied to a personal problem (empathy):
1: Who has a problem?
Example: The teacher keeps losing things in the classroom.
- Discuss your problem thoroughly with the class, what it does to you, what feeling it gives you, etc.
2: What exactly is the problem? (Define)
The teacher does not have a fixed place for her things and loses them.
We try to get a good understanding of what is wrong or difficult about constantly losing things in the classroom.
- Ask questions, discuss, let the children think from your perspective
- Let the children observe you and the problem
- Write or draw the problem on the blackboard.
3: What can we think of to help? (Coming up with ideas)
Now the pupils get to be creative! We come up with as many ideas as we can to help.
- Brainstorm (all ideas are allowed!)
- Pupils draw the idea and explain their idea to the whole class.
- Discuss each other’s plans, together we choose one idea from all the proposals.
For example: A smart bin or cupboard with compartments and labels.
4: Make an example of the idea (Prototypes)
We are going to make a model or example of our idea. It doesn’t have to be perfect yet. Students will work in small groups.
- Crafting with paper, cardboard, LEGO, clay, valuable free material
- Each group thinks thoroughly about how it would work.
For example: A model of a storage cabinet with real compartments.
5: Show it and improve it (Testing and improving)
We show our idea to the person with the problem and ask: does this help?
Each group shows how it would work and presents it to the class.
What students do:
- Show their prototype
The teacher and the class give feedback
Adjustments to the idea if necessary are made.
Example: Teacher says: ‘I also want a place for my keys!’ → add that!
Done? Then you’ve created a real solution!