Now that I have created a prototype for my Problem of Practice it’s time to test it. As described in the Stanford’s d.school Bootcamp Bootleg, “Testing is the chance to get feedback on your solutions, refine solutions to make them better, and continue to learn about your users.”
My Problem of Practice is “How can I best help Nursery and Kindergarten teachers integrate technology in ways that are aligned with pedagogy and learning goals?” For my prototype, I designed the basic framework of a website called A Pinch of PD. This is a digital space where teachers can access education technology information easily and on their own time, and where they can be inspired by the work their colleagues have done. The website includes practical tech tips and resources that are in-line with the teachers’ pedagogical approaches and match the learning goals they have for their students (3-5 year olds). It is also a digital space where I will collaborate with teachers to document technology projects. Documentation is already an important part of their Reggio Emilia approach to teaching and learning.
For my protocol, I emailed a few questions to the entire Nursery/Kindergarten faculty, including assistant teachers and special area teachers in P.E. and Music. I also had conversations with a few colleagues after they had a chance to explore the website.
The questions were generally the same for email feedback and conversations:
- How easy was this site to navigate? How about the design/layout?
- What isn’t working?
- What is missing (content) that you’d like me to include?
- Is a website/blog a good platform for sharing PD? Would you visit this site regularly? If not, how (or where) else can I provide these tips and resources?
From the emails, I received 9 responses and held face-to-face conversations with 2 other teachers. The responses were positive:
“I love the idea and found your website easy to navigate, interesting and useful.”
“It’s fun to see what others are working on.”
“The headings were clear and easy to find, the links worked. The design/ layout looks good to me.”
One interesting comment that came up repeatedly was that teachers would be more likely to visit the website if they received an email notification when new content was posted:
“I would visit regularly especially if I received a notice when new content/ new tips were added.”
I had not considered this idea. In my next iteration, I will work to add a subscription link or simply email faculty myself when I have posted new material. It was reassuring that this website could be a practical and useful tool for teachers and that they would visit it regularly.
Also, some teachers did not know what information they would find under the “Blog” heading in the navigation bar. To clarify its content, I will change that heading to “Tech Tips” instead. Without user feedback, I would have taken the original heading for granted, with an assumption that my users knew what a blog was. I now recognize I need to be more specific.
This testing process was invaluable. Because I worked hard to define an authentic Problem of Practice, there is validation that I am on the right track to solving it. The website is only one idea that I prototyped and it will not be the only solution to helping Nursery/Kindergarten teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. Testing has given me new insights that will allow me to modify, adjust and improve the website so that it can be an authentic, meaningful tool to meet teachers’ needs. For other ideas, I will go through this same design process.
As described in the Stanford d.school’s Bootcamp-Bootleg, testing allows you “to learn more about your user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.” Through this process, I feel a greater connection and trust with my colleagues. They recognize that I am trying to address a problem that is relevant and meaningful to them. I hope they will now be more likely to use me as a resource in my role as a Technology Integration Specialist.
Journey in Ed Tech 