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Young innovators tackle real-world challenges at Ursuline

Young innovators tackle real-world challenges at Ursuline

by Shannon Dufresne
 

What if students could help redesign the systems they use every day?

That question guided the Ursuline Systems Redesign Final Project, a human-centered design challenge completed by students in Introduction to Design Thinking. Ninth- and tenth-grade students examined real aspects of school life, identified opportunities for improvement, and developed solutions designed to make the Ursuline experience more efficient, inclusive, and effective.

Working in teams, students investigated a wide range of topics, including Advisory, the Senior-Freshman Sister Program, student orientation, campus navigation, lost-and-found procedures, school spirit, transportation, student wellness and counseling services, and crowd management at athletic events. Their goal was not simply to identify problems, but to better understand the needs of those affected and propose thoughtful, practical solutions.

The project serves as the culminating experience of Introduction to Design Thinking, a semester elective offered in Ursuline's Innovation Hub (iHub), the school's signature center for innovation and collaborative learning. The course fulfills an art or technology requirement while introducing participants to design thinking, a problem-solving framework that emphasizes empathy, inquiry, and purposeful innovation. The program is designed to equip young women with the skills and confidence to solve problems and lead meaningful change in an increasingly complex world.

Before taking on challenges within the Ursuline community, students honed their design-thinking skills through hands-on projects, including designing and constructing marble runs. The activity encouraged experimentation, persistence, and iteration while demonstrating how even small design decisions can affect outcomes. Those lessons carried into the Systems Redesign Project as students researched how systems function, gathered user feedback, tested ideas, and evaluated trade-offs.

"This project encourages them to ask questions, look for opportunities to improve the user experience, and recognize that they have the ability to create positive change within their own community."
- Mrs. Raquel Floro '10, STEAM and Innovative Design coordinator

"Students often assume that systems are just the way they are," said Mrs. Raquel Floro '10, STEAM and Innovative Design coordinator. "This project encourages them to ask questions, look for opportunities to improve the user experience, and recognize that they have the ability to create positive change within their own community."

Designed as a student-driven, team-based learning experience, Introduction to Design Thinking encourages collaboration, creativity, and thoughtful problem-solving. Whether reimagining an existing process or proposing a new approach, students learn to evaluate ideas through the lens of user needs, feasibility, and impact.

The project concludes with an individual reflection in which students evaluate their personal growth and the design decisions they made throughout the process.

By transforming observations into actionable ideas, students gain more than an introduction to design thinking. They develop the problem-solving skills needed to create meaningful change at Ursuline and beyond.

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