Using Design Thinking to Learn About The Great Depression | Human Centered Design



Cultural Literacy students explore WPA programs designed to combat the Great Depression and provide relief to families and communities, thus restoring faith in the US Government. We implement visible thinking strategies and the principles of human centered design to assist students in the process of primary source investigation and “re-imagining” history.

A) Students travel back in time to role-play, create a stakeholder map, and construct three persona profiles:

1)-WPA Employees and Advocates
2)-Economically Disadvantaged Americans
3)-Community & Business Leaders

B) Students reflect upon their learning experience using Human Centered Design techniques to investigate this pivotal moment in US History:
“How Might We solve problems more effectively by considering all of the the stakeholders affected by the problem?”

1) How might “solving problems in history” better prepare us to tackle some of the big problems in our society today?

2) How could considering the needs of the people in the community help us to design and improve the WPA programs?

3) How might we be better prepared to solve big problems in our world by considering the stakeholders affected by these problems?

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