Design Forward
An emergent exploration of critical instructional design.
Design Forward
Portfolio Part: ” Hello _________, How can I help you?”
Student Biography
” Hello _________, How can I help you?”
In this exercise you will explore the stories and lives of your current students. You may choose to write a biography (incorporating the elements identified below) or you may choose to draw or otherwise represent a student (again, finding some way to incorporate the identified elements). Be as specific as possible, but think of your imagined biography as an amalgamation of students, rather than the actual biography of an individual student you know:
Elements to include:
- Name
- Hometown(s)
- Childhood education experience: type of school attended, typical grades, relationship with teachers, overall impression of what school is for z Family background: How may parents, siblings, etc. Who do they live with? Who do they have close relationships with?
- Interests & hobbies
- Declared major(s) or minor(s)
- Future life goals
- Stressors and obstacles
- Opportunities and comforts
1. Name- Harper Hard Worker
2. Hometown(s) Salem, NH
3. Childhood education experience: type of school attended, typical grades, relationship with teachers, overall impression of what school is for z Family background: How may parents, siblings, etc. Who do they live with? Who do they have close relationships with? Harper comes from a lower middle class family. Her dad works in an office and mom stays home to care for her two younger siblings. She attended public school and was an average student. She always wanted to be a teacher so her mom and dad always encouraged her to go to college, despite the fact that they had never attended themselves. Harper is a hard worker and has to apply that personal trait to make good grades. She struggles with anxiety, and it is often associated with taking tests.
4. Interests & hobbies- Harper likes to hang out with friends and family. She likes movies and pets and typically spends time at home.
5. Declared major(s) or minor(s)- Elementary Education
6. Future life goals- to be a second grade teacher in her hometown.
7. Stressors and obstacles- money, home sick, keeping up with school, making friends, balancing/ scheduling life.
8. Opportunities and comforts- see below
When you’re done, write 1-2 paragraph reflecting upon the student you have created. Where did you get your inspiration? How is this student like/different than you were as a student? As a teacher, what do you think are the 3 most important things you can do for this student?
The student I described was created from the most common concerns I hear from my students. Clearly there are some students who have obstacles that go above and beyond what I would consider a ” baseline” of stressors. Recognizing that most students have to manage these things, it seems obvious that I should be actively working to support them more. I believe that PSU already works hard to combat many of these problems, primarily through the student affairs and “specialty programs,” however, there are still many students that are still in need. of support. Perhaps the answer is addressing the student’s needs through classes that all students take. I recognize that as a faculty member/advisor, I have more direct access to students than folks who provided support services. I can do the following things to help with this issue:
- Connect with specialized providers to help them gain access to students who would benefit from their services.
2. Build opportunities to address some of the needs of the students as part of my course curriculum.
3. Create opportunities outside of class to connect and support the students with the obstacles they are facing.
