2024-cohort
14
edits
Changes
→UNF 2024 UIF Cohort Strategic Priorities: Added 2024 Strategic Priority 4
=='''UNF 2024 UIF Cohort Strategic Priorities'''==
==='''''Strategic Priority 1: Creating a Design Thinking Ecosystem'''''===
''Project Leaders: Michaiya Cox, Ella Green, Brianna Pearson, June Wilson''
The University of North Florida has identified a need to foster a more innovative and entrepreneurial campus culture. To address this gap, we propose introducing the principles of Design Thinking and iterative design to a broader student population.
By creating a comprehensive Design Thinking ecosystem, we can empower students and faculty to collaborate, experiment, and develop innovative solutions. This ecosystem will include:
*Workshops and Training: Offering workshops and training sessions for both faculty and students to learn Design Thinking processes and practices.
*Design Thinking Lab: Offering a Design Thinking Lab course that will allow students to learn about the history of Design Thinking and work on challenges that promote positive change to the campus. This class would also count for a general education requirement so that more students will be able to take this course.
*Innovation Events: Hosting Design Thinking fairs and competitions to generate excitement and showcase student projects, fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
We believe that by cultivating a Design Thinking ecosystem, we can inspire students to become active participants in campus transformation, fostering a more collaborative and innovative environment.
*Google, Gemini 1.5 Flash, 9/22/24. Gemini was used to enhance original material written by June Wilson.
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==='''''Strategic Priority 2: Design Thinking Workshops.'''''===
''Project Leader: June Wilson''
During the landscape canvas I noticed that there is a lack of innovation and resources for innovation on campus. Following exercises we have done in our training I surveyed students and faculty to see just how many would be willing to learn about design thinking. Almost half of the students surveyed had an idea of a project or prototype that would improve campus so the interest in design is there.
Following these findings my idea is to host several Design Thinking Workshops across campus. The purpose of the workshops would be to educate more faculty and students about the design thinking process in hopes that the ideas and processes will make their ways into more classrooms. We also hope to gain more interest in campus resources such as the Design Thinking club and courses taught that involve innovation and entrepreneurship.
==='''''Strategic Priority 3: Design Thinking Lab.'''''===
''Project Leader: Kirsten Green''
After completing the Landscape Canvas we found that there are a few innovative events offered to students, however; there could be more options offered and explicitly advertised to increase student engagement level. For example, the Hicks Honors College at UNF offers a Design Thinking course, but it is only available to honors students. This excludes students interested in entrepreneurship, leaving students unaware of design thinking, and lowering the amount of students involved in innovation.
To include all students and increase the occurrence of innovation on campus, I plan to address this issue by creating a Design Thinking Lab course. In this course, students would be introduced to the iterative design thinking process of problem-solving. Students will tap into their creativity to empathize with various perspectives, challenge assumptions, define problems, brainstorm solutions, prototype those ideas, and test them. Students will engage in prompted challenges and collaborative activities surrounded by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to enhance innovative skills and develop a new mindset of entrepreneurship. The first hour of the lab will consist of a lecture and the next hour and 50 min will be a mix of group discussions, collaborative activities, prototyping, and testing in order to complete design challenges throughout the semester.
Ultimately, this would enhance students' problem-solving skills, increase student’s ability to empathize, improve students’ communication and teamwork, give students real-world experience, and encourage creativity and innovation.
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=== '''''Strategic Priority 4: Design Thinking Fair''''' ===
''Project Leaders: Michaiya Cox and Brianna Pearson''
Not many students are aware of the impact they can have on their college campus, nor do they know how to achieve the changes they want to see. Exposing college students to design thinking practices can show students their capabilities to make a difference on their college campus. Currently, at our university, the University of North Florida, design thinking is only available for students who are a part of the Hicks Honors College on campus. To expose design thinking to everyone on campus, our idea is to create a Design Thinking Fair that lasts one whole weekend on campus. At this event, we will be helping students unlock and level up their creative innovation mindsets and sharpen their entrepreneurship skills.
The Design Thinking Fair will have students group up to create prototypes of things they want to bring attention to within the two or three days of the event. It will be days full of rapid thinking and there will be a new winner in every challenge. There will be free food from food trucks and prizes such as campus merch and or gift cards that can come into use for each student’s needs. Ideas/prompts will be thrown out by the higher-ups of the campus such as the president of the university and the people of Blackstone Launchpad. That way the students will capture their attention quicker since they will play a huge role in the event.
=='''UNF 2023 UIF Cohort Strategic Priorities'''==