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Empathy Project for Unit of Study

(24 points-formative)
For this weeks class, you will move through the Empathy stage of the design process, seeking to better
understand your audiences needs, interests, backgrounds, and learning styles. Remember that your audience,
or clients, are your students. Choose a school at which one of your group members is doing his/her practicum.
You will create your Unit of Study around the needs/attitudes/perspectives of the students at this school.
Activities listed below should last about 165 min, or the length of one class, not including homework.
1. Research the demographics/history of the school by reading its accountability report (30 min)
a. http://www.ccsd.net/schools/accountability-reports/
2. Get to know the students:
a. Interview at least three students. *Please prepare the interview questions and conduct the
interview with your partner. You want a shared experience on which to build your understanding
of the audience.
i. Prepare for an interview (see Method card)
ii. Interview for empathy (see Method card)
b. Create a Google Survey and give to at least 10 students (ideally a full class)
c. Walk around the school and collect digital artifacts (ie. Sound recording, videos, pictures) that you
feel represent the students experiences and interests. You will embed these in your Creatavist
story (15 min)
3. Debrief and Sense-Making (45 min)
a. Regroup in a place that is comfortable and encourages idea-sharing, like a coffee shop or cozy
house.
b. Find patterns from your surveys/interviews/school walks to gain greater understanding of your
audience. Discuss how these new understandings will inform the theme, activities, and structure
of your Unit of Study.
i. Empathy map (see Method card)
4. Share the story of your process and insight gained (homework)
a. Sign up for an account on Creativist.com that everyone will share
b. Watch my tutorial in Edmodo about how to create a project on Creatavist and a survey with
c.

Google Forms
Build the story of your experience on Creativist, using the images, writings, and other
accumulated documentation (ie. videos, audio recordings, etc.). Share what you came to
understand about your audience. How will this influence what you do in your unit of study

(theme/activities/structure)? Use the attached checklist to guide the creation of your product.
d. Share your groups story by posting a link to your Creatavist on Edmodo.
e. When developing your Creatavist project, please make sure to:

Discuss new conclusions/insights gained from process (including accountability report,


interviews, surveys, & debrief)

Include interview questions and responses

Include survey questions and responses

Include findings from the schools accountability report

Discuss how this knowledge will inform your unit plan (in specifics!)

Embed digital content collected from your walk around the school (images, map
locations, videos, music, etc.)

Display a unique and critical voice (choose words carefully, fit style to audience,
demonstrate thorough/thoughtful revision)

Edit for mechanics (project is free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors)

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