Reflect, Record, Reveal

June 23, 2025

As design educators, we recognize the importance of reflection. It's not merely an IB requirement; it's a fundamental skill that enables students to articulate their learning, comprehend their development beyond just project outcomes, and identify areas for future improvement through self-assessment. However, how can we encourage students to move beyond perfunctory written reflections and truly engage in a meaningful process?

This past year, with my IB DP Design Technology Year 1 students, I piloted an activity that combined peer-to-peer conversation with emerging AI tools, and the outcomes provided valuable insights.

Making the inquiry public - Using Miro to transform collaboration

September 15, 2024

One of the most powerful features of Miro is its ability to create a public workspace where students can see and interact with each other's work. We’ve really leveraged this and it’s changed the way we are approaching the portfolio.

Using AI to support language learners

January 14, 2024

Being able to access content and context of a design opportunity is essential for a successful design inquiry. Design inquiries are more process than content driven, requiring students to draw upon their background knowledge and prior experiences, as well as understand the nuances of the design opportunity. As the majority of learners in our program are English language learners (ELLs), accessing this knowledge and experience.

Using Miro to explore, collaborate, and communicate

Grade 10 inquiry into Biomimicry: What, How and Why.

March 15, 2023

This year’s iteration presented us with the option of developing and iterating the unit. One of the key tools we used was Miro, an online collaboration tool, to structure, deliver, and guide the inquiry. We had about 90 students working on this task over three days. They worked in teams to learn about biomimicry, research into a problem, and develop a nature-inspired solution.