iPad-On-Wheels: Adaptive Tech for All

All grades Project 3 weeks

iPad-On-Wheels: Adaptive Tech for All

Jonni G

Self Directed Learning

Collaboration

1-pager

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to enable students to engage in a hands-on, real-world learning experience that merges empathy, design, and collaboration. Through understanding the unique needs of wheelchair users, students craft innovative solutions, reflecting on user-centered design principles. This project fosters self-directed learning, encourages collaboration, and cultivates a deeper awareness of accessibility issues, empowering students to make tangible contributions to their communities.

Learning goals

Students will develop self-directed learning skills by using feedback to enhance their designs and reflect on their learning journey. They will cultivate collaboration skills as they co-design the iPad holder with peers and partner with community experts. They will also understand the real-world implications of product design through role-playing activities, hands-on demonstrations, and interactions with wheelchair users and industry professionals. The project supports critical thinking and empathy as students iteratively improve their prototypes based on insights gained throughout the project.

Competencies

Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Throughout this project, students will collaboratively design and create prototypes of an adjustable iPad holder tailored for secure attachment to different types of wheelchairs. By the end, each team will have a fully functional prototype that reflects insights gathered through interaction with wheelchair users and manufacturing experts. These prototypes will be tested in real-life scenarios to ensure their practicality, ease of use, and effectiveness in addressing the needs identified during the project.

Launch

Begin with the "Empathy and Insight Workshop," where students role-play various scenarios mimicking challenges faced by wheelchair users. This immersive experience sets the stage for understanding real-world obstacles, fostering empathy, and encouraging students to think from the perspective of users for whom they are designing. Facilitate discussions that prompt observations and insights relevant to the project, motivating a thoughtful and empathetic approach to their designs right from the start.

Exhibition

The "Invention Showcase" will invite diverse community members, including teachers, parents, and student peers, to engage hands-on with adaptive iPad holder prototypes designed for wheelchairs. Participants will circulate through interactive stations where they can test the products, offering feedback that students can incorporate into future iterations. This exhibition provides students with the opportunity to articulate their design process and receive constructive feedback in real-time.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Self Directed Learning	I can identify one way to use feedback from my teacher or classmates to make a simple change in my iPad holder design I take the time to think about my learning journey and notice how practicing new skills helps me improve a little each day.	I engage with the feedback I've received from teachers, peers, and community guests and use it to make meaningful changes to my design I am able to describe what I have learned from these interactions and share how it has helped me improve my prototype I contribute ideas for our project's next steps and suggest solutions when faced with challenges, making sure my work aligns with the needs we've identified.	I actively seek out and use feedback from my teacher and peers to improve my design ideas and adjust my strategies I reflect on my learning to better understand my strengths and what I can improve, using these insights to make thoughtful decisions and changes as the project progresses.	I can independently use feedback from my teachers and classmates to make thoughtful improvements to my iPad holder prototype I can explain the design choices I've made by connecting them to the needs of wheelchair users and describe how my prototype helps solve their challenges I can work well with others, listen to everyone's ideas, and help our team make decisions together.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can actively listen to my teammates and share my ideas to help our group create a great design I try different ways to solve problems and make sure everyone in my group has a chance to share their thoughts.	I contribute to group discussions and listen to everyone's ideas, helping my team decide how to combine the best parts of each person's design suggestions for our iPad holder prototype.	I can work effectively with my team to design the iPad holder, contributing my ideas and listening to others I share the decision-making process with my peers and take on leadership roles when needed, ensuring our prototype reflects the needs of wheelchair users I can resolve conflicts collaboratively and integrate feedback from peers and experts to improve our designs.	I can effectively work with my peers to design an innovative iPad holder by offering ideas, listening to others, and making decisions together I use feedback from wheelchair users and experts to improve our prototype, and I help my team resolve disagreements and stay focused on our goal I take on leadership roles when needed and ensure everyone’s voice and contribution are valued in our project.

Learning Journey

Empathize

Students will engage in role-playing scenarios and interactive discussions to gain insights into the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users, thereby informing empathetic and user-centric design considerations for the adaptive iPad holder.

Days 1 - 2

Empathy and Insight Workshop

Launch 45m

Define

Students will synthesize insights from the empathy workshops to define the specific challenges faced by wheelchair users regarding iPad holders and articulate a clear problem statement prior to ideating potential solutions.

Days 2 - 3

No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Ideate

Students will brainstorm creative solutions and share diverse ideas for an adjustable iPad holder design, using feedback from wheelchair users and experts to inspire innovative, user-centric concepts.

Days 3 - 4

Prototype Feedback Session

Deliverable 30m

Prototype

Students will craft interactive low-fidelity prototypes of adjustable iPad holders for wheelchairs, using peer feedback from checkpoints to refine their ideas, and collaboratively engage with community experts to test the functionality and practicality of their designs.

Days 4 - 5

No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Test

Students will present their iPad holder prototypes to wheelchair users, facilitate a hands-on testing session to gather feedback, and immediately iterate on their designs to enhance usability based on authentic user insights.

Day 5

105 min over capacity (45 min available across 1 day)

Prototype Improvement and Reflection Presentation

Assessment

Collaboration and Feedback Response Evaluation

Assessment

Prototype Iteration Workshop

Activity 60m

Testing Session and Feedback Collection

Activity 60m

Reflection and Collaboration Discussion

Deliverable 30m

iPad-On-Wheels: Adaptive Tech for All

Purpose

Learning goals

Competencies

Products

Launch

Exhibition

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