Innovation Hub works to Validate Design Thinking as a Powerful Tool for Higher Ed

In a new partnership with the Educational Psychology and Learning Systems program in the FSU College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, the Innovation Hub is working to validate educational processes that it has been exploring since it’s start in 2018. Dr. Staudt Willet in Educational Psychology and Learning Systems is interested in self-directed learning, a subset of informal and networked learning. He is fascinated by how people figure things out on their own. He is most interested in what happens when students, learners, and trainees finish formal instruction, preparation, and training.

Dr. Staudt Willet’s interests perfectly align with the co-curricular activities in the Innovation Hub. Especially our 24-hour Design Sprint, which challenges teams of students to develop solutions to real-world problems such as homelessness, and human trafficking. Students learn about the challenge from experts, research the challenge on their own, then reframe the challenge and work through ideation practices to come up with innovative solutions. The balance of mentoring and self-directed learning is the secret to this amazing experiential learning exercise.

With the help of Dr. Staudt Willet and other researchers, the Innovation Hub will further formalize and validate it’s Design Thinking method so that it can be replicated across other institutions of higher education helping to inspire students and better meet their needs.