Empathetic Design: Elevating Your STEM Experience

Through presentation and discussion, This course will introduce educators to the concepts around user centric design and empathetic engineering. Educators will gain valuable insights and strategies to evaluate their needs, and how to develop fitting solutions.

This course is ideal for educators and education professionals who want to integrate user-centric thinking, creative problem-solving, and empathy-driven engineering into their STEM teaching practice.

• STEM and Technology Educators (Primary Audience) STEM teachers (K–12) Science educators Technology and computer science teachers Engineering and robotics instructors Makerspace facilitators

• Early Learning and Elementary Educators Early childhood educators introducing foundational problem-solving and design concepts Elementary teachers incorporating inquiry-based or hands-on learning

• School and Program Support Roles Educational assistants supporting STEM activities Instructional coaches and learning specialists Curriculum developers involved in STEM program design

• Leadership & Innovation Roles Program coordinators and directors School administrators shaping STEM initiatives Digital learning or innovation leads

• Community and Youth Programming Roles After-school STEM program leaders Youth development facilitators in STEM clubs Library or community center staff running maker or engineering programs

• Professional Development & Training Staff Educator trainers Professional learning facilitators Staff designing future-ready or design-thinking workshops

Who Especially Benefits Professionals who want to: Incorporate user-centered thinking into STEM lessons

Teach students how empathy informs design and engineering Build real-world problem-solving experiences Strengthen their own ability to design solutions that meet user needs

This course benefits organizations focused on STEM learning, innovation, design thinking, and student-centered education.

• Schools and Educational Institutions Elementary, middle, and high schools School districts Charter and independent schools CTE (Career & Technical Education) programs

• Early Learning and Child Development Organizations Early learning centers introducing foundational STEM concepts Inquiry-based preschool and kindergarten programs

• Higher Education & Training Programs Teacher education programs University STEM outreach programs Professional development centers

• Community and Youth Organizations Community centers with STEM or maker programs Libraries running creative coding or engineering workshops Youth clubs (e.g., robotics clubs, STEM camps, maker groups)

• STEM and Innovation-Focused Organizations Makerspaces and fab labs STEM nonprofits Organizations integrating design thinking into educational initiatives

• Government & Public Sector Agencies Departments of education Ministries or public programs focused on STEM literacy and innovation