The Mi:Lab December Newsletter
Hello and welcome to Mi:Lab’s December Newsletter! Mi:Lab is an Innovation Lab based in Maynooth University that takes a human-centred design approach to exploring and tackling challenges within the higher education system. This monthly newsletter is for anyone interested in designing new and better ways of doing and experiencing traditional higher education in Ireland.
Firstly, Merry Christmas!
2020 has been a challenging and unpredictable year but also one with big ideas and remarkable creativity, not least in Higher Education! We’ve seen conversations open up about everything from community to equity and digital learning to wellbeing.
So as the year draws to a close, we have decided to roundup our favourite articles, podcasts and everything in-between from this historic year.
Mi:Lab’s 2020 in Higher Ed
The Post-Pandemic University Project by Mark Carrigan brings together diverse global voices to reflect on how we can build higher education back better.
As We Rush Online, How Might We Redesign Higher Education? By Rafe Steinhauer is an empathetic and actionable set of ideas and resources for designing intentional learning experiences.
After the Pandemic, a Revolution in Education and Work Awaits by Thomas Friedman predicts lifelong “just-in-time learning” as the ‘pension’ of the future.
How to Co-Design Better Schools by IDEO is one in a series of projects IDEO has launched this year to re-imagine education around community and equity. Also check out this visions for reimagining learning.
Wicked problems: (how) does higher education solve problems for students? By Jim Dickinson considers the “wicked” problems of Higher Ed, and the need for “a bit less conspiracy theory and a bit more complexity theory.”
A podcast for faculty & higher education professionals on research design, methods, productivity & more, with Dr. Katie Linder.
The Innovating Together Podcast, An Interview with Michael Crow Thoughts from the innovative and pioneering President of Arizona State University.
Mi:Lab’s 2020 in Design and Creativity
Visualise Value is a project on Twitter by Jack Butcher focused on clever and evocative visual communication.
This article on how Black Lives Matter employed creativity this year by Nadine Bloch and Folabi Olagbaju is a fascinating look at the use of rituals, joy and direct action to design and enact political change.
12 social innovations to spread festive cheer from British innovation foundation, Nesta.
Ireland’s ubiquitous yellow Covid-19 posters have communicated a cohesive and coordinated Covid-19 response!
CX. Report is a yearly trend report for customer experience by well-known designer and technologist, John Maeda.
Desired, the podcast by Echos ‘Connecting with Design To Truly ‘See’ It, with Mathias Jakobsen.
Mi:Lab Achievements in 2020
January:
- AHEAD Conference 2020, Tackling the Challenges Facing Higher Education: Using Design Thinking to Co-Create Communities of Practice: Trevor Vaugh.
February:
- Mi:Lab welcomed a group of career guidance counsellors from across the US where Paul Donovan and Teghan Oswald shared some of the innovative approaches & research happening at Maynooth.
March:
- Trevor Vaugh featured on RTE One’s Big Life Fix, where he joined a team of Ireland’s leading inventors to create ingenious solutions to everyday problems.
April:
- Technology Tenses by Threase Finnegan-Kessie and Trevor Vaugh in the National Forum
November:
- Two papers published in the AISHE_EDU COVID-19 special issue.
- Trevor Vaugh & The Big Life Fix team won two awards in the Design For Good & Collaboration categories in the IDIAwards2020.
If you would like to keep up to date or become involved with our current and future works we would be delighted to hear from you at: milab@mu.ie.
Meme of the Month
Christmas Wellbeing Check-in
Mental Health Ireland’s ROBIN Model and HSE guide to looking after your mental health.
And finally,
