This year’s #STEMbuildsOhio Design & Entrepreneurship Challenge asks students to consider how they can improve their school, community, or world by reimagining an existing physical space, system, product, or service so that it is more equitable, accessible, or efficient. Educators can sign up now to begin the challenge.
We’re proud to announce two major supports for educators interested in the challenge.
First, our design challenge web portal (https://designchallenge.osln.org/) has been fully updated. With new resources on the infrastructure topic, basics on the design challenges, and all the details on upcoming events, the site has everything you need to get started.
Looking for a more personal experience? Join us for our beginner-friendly, four session series with veteran educators from Metro Early College STEM school. Register for any session of the series here.
What is the OSLN Design Challenge? October 12 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
In this session, teachers will be introduced to the 2021-22 #STEMbuildsOhio challenge and the entire design challenge process. Understand the philosophy, logistics, and value of a successful design challenge in your classroom or school.
OSLN Design Challenge Overview is a 90-minute session and the first of a four part Design Challenge Miniseries. In this session, teachers will be introduced to the OSLN Design Challenge for 2021-22 and an overview of the entire Design Challenge process. The session will introduce teachers to the philosophy behind the Design Challenge and the impact capabilities of the DC. The session will also discuss this year’s Design Challenge and how the specific problem affects our community, locally and globally, and on the logistics of planning and scheduling the design challenge for your school. We know that when students care about creating solutions to a problem, their creativity can flourish. We will discuss ways to engage your students from day one. Teachers will have access to tools for the development and implementation of a successful Hook Day, another important piece in enhancing student buy-in. Teachers in this session will also work to develop a schedule for the overall Design Challenge implementation to include the development of benchmarks and due dates, scheduling accommodations and logistics that work for their school.
Design Based Thinking 101 – October 19 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
The session starts with ideas of design based thinking and takes teachers through a practical application of the stages of the #STEMbuildsOhio challenge. Examples and curriculum tools will leave participants with a firm grasp of how to execute any design challenge.
Design Based Thinking 101 is a 90 minute online session and part two of the Design Challenge Miniseries. The session is designed to both introduce new teachers to the ideas of design based thinking, while also providing an environment for teachers with more experience in this area to grow in their understanding and practical application of the stages. The session will provide both an overview scope and eventual goals of the Design Challenge, while also providing the sequence of steps in the Design Challenge and what this practically looks like in the classroom on a daily basis. This session is designed to provide teachers with the practical tools and background knowledge necessary in order to implement a Design Challenge within their school or classroom. The session will be full of examples and curriculum tools so that teachers can leave the session with a firm grasp of design based thinking and the potential that it has to impact the classroom.
The Pedagogy of a Design Challenge – October 26 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Dive deep into the role of the teacher as design challenge coach. Outline new strategies for engaging students, scaffolding advanced challenges, and modifying a challenge to suit your classroom.
The Pedagogy of Design Challenge is a 90 minute online session and part three of the Design Challenge Miniseries. The session is designed to build on the stages of design based thinking and provide more in depth strategies for teachers to not only conduct a Design Challenge in their classroom, but also maximize the potential of this learning experience. The session will cover general strategies for the role of the teacher throughout the process of project-based learning, specific advice for engaging student interest throughout each stage of the Design Challenge, scaffolding for exceptional students, and advice for modifying the Design Challenge to fit your students specific needs. It is designed for teachers who are already familiar with design based thinking, but want to go deeper into strategies to increase student growth and engagement throughout the process.
Connecting the Design Challenge – November 9 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
This final session is all about connection. Link your #STEMbuildsOhio design challenge experience to academic content standards, student interests, and the pressing needs of the local community.
Connecting the Design Challenge is a 90-minute session and the fourth in the 4-part series OSLN Design Challenge Miniseries. In this session, teachers will make connections to related careers, to their community, to academic content standards, and to student interest. Strategies to introduce students to careers related to the problem and to bring stakeholders from the community in to share their expertise will be shared. Teachers will work to connect the problem to academic content standards. Examples of lessons that connect the design problem to content standards across various subjects will be shared to help teachers develop their own design focused lessons both in their individual classes and in collaboration for interdisciplinary lessons These lessons will be designed to scaffold student development of a solution. Each of these examples and activities will be rooted in student interest.