Reflection- Storytelling

Challenge & Selection

Design thinking is a methodology for solving problems that focuses on asking  questions and listening, with empathy, to the needs of individuals and groups.  Storytelling is an “essential human activity” for sharing experiences, explaining values,  and deciding on solutions through vivid verbal and visual accounts. Can design  thinking and storytelling contribute to the research on first generation/low-income  students? I believe so and want to share some thoughts that combine these two  approaches.

Storytelling helps explain the interconnections among people in situations and settings,  teaching broad lessons that engage real human beings. Listening engages people;  and  empathy is an essential and fundamental component in the process.

Stories generate questions and questions expand the breadth and depth of stories,  leading to lots of innovative thoughts and ideas. Storytelling becomes an important tool  for feedback, which is the basis of the iterative process of prototyping that leads to  solutions. Stories and prototypes are intertwined, explaining and repositioning  experiences through a multitude of potential interpretations, which allow researchers  to test new solutions before committing exclusively to a particular policy, program, or  service.

Application

I have already applied design thinking methodology to understand elements that lead  to success in higher education among first generation and low-income students.  Listening to and empathizing with their needs, I gained enormous insights into the  types of support services and mentoring first gens feel will help them navigate the  academic and social challenges they face from the time they complete high school  throughout college. Anxiety and bewilderment are patterns of behavior I found among  first generation low-income students when they share stories about their first encounter  with campus culture. Many feel like outsiders, confused by the academy’s social and  academic expectations.

Insight & Approach

The social isolation, low self-confidence, and academic paralysis generated by these  feelings seem to melt away among first generation/low-income students who study  abroad. Why? What happens when they and their middle- and upper-middle class  peers  travel  to  countries  and  experience  unfamiliar  cultures  and

languages? Reports document changes in behavior among first generation/low- income students: an increase in confidence, self-efficacy, openness, perceptual acuity,  resilience, general effectiveness in cross-cultural situations.

Does study abroad add value to the college experience of first generation/low-income  students in ways that are fundamentally different from their middle- and upper-middle  class peers? There has been some powerful research on the positive impact of study  abroad for first gens during the past decade. The research showed “positive impacts”  of study abroad. Study abroad becomes increasingly important as more and more  borders are crossed physically and digitally.It is time to continue to produce solid  research that underlines the positive impact of study abroad for today’s first  generation/low income students.


Reflection- Storytelling Challenge & Selection Design thinking is a methodology for solving problems that focuses on asking questions and listening , with empathy , to the needs of individuals and groups . Storytelling is an “ essential human activity ” for sharing experiences , explaining values , and deciding on solutions through vivid verbal and visual accounts . Can design thinking and storytelling contribute to the research on first generation / low - income students ? I believe so and want to share some thoughts that combine these two approaches . Storytelling helps explain the interconnections among people in situations and settings , teaching broad lessons that engage real human beings . Listening engages people ; and empathy is an essential and fundamental component in the process . Stories generate questions and questions expand the breadth and depth of stories , leading to lots of innovative thoughts and ideas . Storytelling becomes an important tool for feedback , which is the basis of the iterative process of prototyping that leads to solutions . Stories and prototypes are intertwined , explaining and repositioning experiences through a multitude of potential interpretations , which allow researchers to test new solutions before committing exclusively to a particular policy , program , or service . Application I have already applied design thinking methodology to understand elements that lead to success in higher education among first generation and low - income students . Listening to and empathizing with their needs , I gained enormous insights into the types of support services and mentoring first gens feel will help them navigate the academic and social challenges they face from the time they complete high school throughout college . Anxiety and bewilderment are patterns of behavior I found among first generation low - income students when they share stories about their first encounter with campus culture . Many feel like outsiders , confused by the academy ’s social and academic expectations . Insight & Approach The social isolation , low self - confidence , and academic paralysis generated by these feelings seem to melt away among first generation / low - income students who study abroad . Why ? What happens when they and their middle- and upper - middle class peers travel to countries and experience unfamiliar cultures and languages ? Reports document changes in behavior among first generation / low- income students : an increase in confidence , self - efficacy , openness , perceptual acuity , resilience , general effectiveness in cross - cultural situations . Does study abroad add value to the college experience of first generation / low - income students in ways that are fundamentally different from their middle- and upper - middle class peers ? There has been some powerful research on the positive impact of study abroad for first gens during the past decade . The research showed “ positive impacts ” of study abroad . Study abroad becomes increasingly important as more and more borders are crossed physically and digitally . It is time to continue to produce solid research that underlines the positive impact of study abroad for today ’s first generation / low income students .