Dear Vicky and Don,
<snip> On Dec 18, 2017, at 6:23 AM, Vicky Zeamer <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
"I want to ask the group, in particular the more senior folks in the group-- if you were an American student interested in human centered design research, would you still go into a PhD program, to begin in 2018?” <snip>
I might not be the right person to answer this, as I don’t have the experience that you’re looking for, but I do have an opinion. I think of the Ph.D. as something you do because you can’t find out what you want/need to learn/can’t let go of, in any other way. And you also have to have a place that gives you the luxury of time and support. It’s such a personal thing.
That said, I would pose your question to new graduates and those who have up to five years experience with the degree in hand. Because so much of PhD success depends on mentoring, one question I would ask of each of those individuals is “how did your advisor help you, and how did that person fall short.” The falling short will always happen, but by talking to those graduates (let’s say 5 people), you’ll know 5 different ways to watch out for yourself.
So, is there a question that someone’s working on that you must study in depth alongside that individual? Or is there a question that you don’t think anyone is approaching correctly, and you need space and mentoring to explore it with someone who’s curiosity is also sparked? If one of those things is true, how will that wonderful person let you down because she or he is, after all, just a poor human? And for that reason, what do you need to do to minimize those limitations?
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<snip> On Dec 17, 2017, at 5:08 PM, Don Norman <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
It talks about teaching when it should be focussed upon learning
- That lectures are effective for learning whereas in fact, they are
simply the easiest thing to do for instructors, but the worst
way to learn for students>
Agreed, and for what it’s worth, I believe that spaces can drive process a bit—for learners as well as educators. For example, where I teach, we have one of the most stunning common spaces I’ve ever seen. I actually feel uplifted just by walking into it. But the classroom environment is another thing entirely—not bad, just not embedded with the architect's (user-centered) vision of what a classroom could be. So for me, this is very frustrating. I believe that architects must begin to think carefully about classroom spaces, by being inspired by the people who use them. How does the interior space of the classroom prime students and educators for an engaging learning experience? Sadly, answering that question is expensive and not nearly as inviting to a potential student as a lazy river.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/one-schools-formula-for-athletic-success-build-a-lazy-river-and-hope-the-recruits-will-come/2017/03/31/e1b7f5c8-1568-11e7-833c-503e1f6394c9_story.html?utm_term=.1643aeff9852
Recently I went back into the classroom as a student to learn a foreign language I love but find difficult to retain. I could not have been more motivated. I wanted a class. I wanted to hear someone who is knowledgeable, correct my pronunciation and encourage my progress I wanted to try out what I was learning with other learners. Arriving the first day, the room was like so many other classrooms, seemingly set up correctly for its function. But the room actually made learning more difficult. There were no windows, which was depressing. It was a two hour class with hard chairs. It felt so cold to me that I had to bring a coat, and the standard seating arrangement made it harder to easily interact with other students in the class. Yes, you can move chairs around, but that doesn’t tend to work out so well in practice as it takes away from class time. As I see it, sitting in that room,, even with a break, was not conducive to full engagement. So I wonder what can be done to make environments that support learning more effectively?
Thanks everyone for the food for thought.
Best,
Susan
Susan M. Hagan Ph.D. MDes | Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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