KATHY ZHU'S PORTFOLIO
Smart Learning System in Post-Secondary Education
DG8001 - Digital Media Foundations
Instructor: Hudson Moura
Partner: Riddhi Chopra
October - December 2022
The current post-secondary education system is inflexible in accommodating students with varying learning styles and needs, where the traditional teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships grow outmoded as technological needs and conditions evolve. Our project looks at the education sector where synchronous interactions are limited; focusing on the theme of interactivity, this project introduces a system that integrates digital interactive technologies to enhance student learning.
​
The primary challenge within the post-secondary education system today lies in the limited in-class communication channels between instructors and students. Often, instructors dominate discussions with prolonged speaking periods, leading students to adopt a passive role as "passive consumers" of educational knowledge (Montrieux, Raes, and Schellens). The prevalent lecture format typically involves one-way communication, presuming that all students learn at the same pace and format. According to a survey conducted by the National Educational Association of Disabled Students, approximately 15.9% of students in Canadian post-secondary institutions have diagnosed disabilities, which encompass intellectual, physical, sensory, and psychiatric disabilities. Thus, instruction approaches must become more flexible for the high percentage of students who require special adaptations to learn efficiently.
While smart learning systems exist in the market, there are still unaddressed gaps, as highlighted in the diagram. Our design focus is centered on resolving these issues. We aim to create a system that caters to students with special physical needs, reducing learning barriers and communication gaps. Our approach involves leveraging technology to enhance the knowledge transfer process by providing tools that accommodate specific accessibility needs and encourage better collaboration among students and with instructors.
We began by creating user personas representing the diverse range of students who would benefit from the smart learning system. These personas guided us in developing personalized designs tailored to the specific needs of different user groups.
The smart learning system would be equipped with a student seat and could also be designed as a flexible add-on table, suitable for attachment to wheelchairs or other specialized accommodation devices.
Product Prototypes
Sample screen displays of the smart learning system for both students and instructors are depicted in the images above. Click on the pictures to access the Figma prototype file and explore possible interactions in greater detail.
The system effectively tackles issues across various aspects of learning, prioritizing the creation of an engaging, barrier-free, and accessible platform that enhances the efficiency of education.
By proposing a system that accommodates individual needs and activities while providing guidance from an instructor, this project introduces a hybrid model for both independent and tutored learning. Moreover, it offers another instance of the positive adoption of digital media in enhancing existing industries.