Observing Student Innovation: A Teacher's Perspective - Part 1

Today, I had the opportunity to observe a group of Grade 11 students navigate their way through a project proposal with impressive skill and creativity. These students were tasked with creating a proposal for their Grade 12 graduation project, focusing on a real-world problem in their country. Here's how they approached it:

Initial Discussions

The students began by discussing potential project ideas as a group. They decided to address the issue of finding available parking spaces in city centers or malls, a problem relevant in many urban areas. Their goal was to create an app that would help users locate available parking spaces easily.

Once they had their idea, they turned to ChatGPT4o for a brainstorming session. They used prompts like:

Sample Prompt: "Brainstorm ideas for an app that helps users find available parking spaces in city centers or malls. Include features like real-time updates, filters for different types of parking spaces, and integration with navigation tools."

ChatGPT provided them with various suggestions and features for their app, such as real-time updates, filters for different types of parking spaces, and integration with navigation tools.

Prototyping with Figma

With their ideas in place, the students moved on to designing the user interface. Using Figma, they created prototypes for their app. Figma is a powerful tool that allows users to design, prototype, and collaborate in real-time. They iterated on the design by providing ChatGPT4o with additional details such as features, color combinations, and screen sizes. This allowed them to generate multiple screens for their app, ensuring a user-friendly experience.

Examples of Prompts for Various Screens and Interfaces:

Home Screen: "Design a home screen for a parking app that shows available parking spaces in a city. Include a search bar, a map view, and quick filters for different parking types (e.g., covered, electric vehicle charging)."

Map View: "Create a map view screen for a parking app that highlights available parking spaces. Include features like color-coded markers for availability (green for available, red for full), and allow users to tap on markers for more details."

Parking Details Screen: "Design a details screen for a selected parking spot. Include information such as the number of available spaces, parking rates, hours of operation, and user ratings. Add buttons for navigation and reservation."

Reservation System: "Create a reservation interface for a parking app. Users should be able to select a parking spot, choose the duration of the reservation, and proceed to payment. Include options for different payment methods."

User Profile and History: "Design a user profile screen that includes personal details, payment methods, and parking history. Users should be able to view past reservations, payments, and ratings for parking spots."

The iterative process with Figma and ChatGPT4o helped them refine their design and ensure that it met the needs of potential users.

Detailed Design Iterations

• First Iteration: The initial design focused on simplicity, with a basic map view and list of available parking spaces. ChatGPT suggested adding more interactive elements and visual cues.
• Second Iteration: Incorporating feedback, the students added color-coded markers and improved the visual layout. They also introduced quick filters for different parking types.
• Third Iteration: The students then focused on the parking details screen, ensuring it provided comprehensive information about each spot.

Multiple iterations on their designs helped the students to generate a polished and user-friendly interface/design for their app.

The workflow these students followed showcases their ability to leverage technology effectively. From brainstorming and visualizing with ChatGPT4o, they demonstrated a comprehensive approach to project development.

The experience also highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary skills. The students combined their knowledge of design, coding, and problem-solving to create a functional and innovative solution to a real-world problem. This approach not only prepared them for their graduation project but also equipped them with skills that are highly valuable in today's tech-driven world.

Their journey serves as an inspiration for educators and students alike, showing that with the right tools and mindset, complex projects can be tackled with confidence and creativity.

More about their final design and prototype journey with #Figma and #Replit in the next edition......

Leon Furze Dr Nick Jackson Bronwyn Desjardins Sari Lantto Dr. Naser Al-Ashab Tom Barrett Furat Jasim Alicia Bankhofer Barbara Anna Zielonka Francis Jim Tuscano Lizzie Muringi-Ngwenya #ChatGPT4o