What is ResponsiveDesign?Â
Our ResponsiveDesign theory of action grew out of our collective efforts to notice and name the logic-of-inquiry we used in our teacher-researcher work. Therefore, we sought to name our process with language that would account for our ethnographic approach of interacting with and learning from others. In this way our process could be accessible and doable by educators passionate about learning and growing. The ethnographic practice of “deep diving” into situations helps us to respectfully surface people’s needs (Responsive), while insights from the field of art & design guides us to create prototypes (Design) of practice for us to try out in our classrooms and work settings.
Because we know people are naturally creative, active theory-makers and theory-testers, ResponsiveDesign places the learner front and center of the learning, nurturing them to become prototypers of practice. In this way, they develop innovator growth mindsets that become habits of mind. Through multiple iterative cycles of rapid prototyping used in its work, by exploring to develop empathy, envisioning by deferring judgment, and enacting in order to learn from failure, participants come to conceptualize their teaching practices as cultural technologies that can be harnessed and innovated upon.