Speculative Fiction, Empathy, and Digital Stories: An Alternative Approach to Design Thinking during Spring 2020

Like Mead and the people in his futuristic universe, their lives were under tight surveillance and control during this time. Since we studied the Industrial Revolution before reading these speculative fiction short stories and followed up with the history of the internet, our discussions about the ethical responsibilities of technology were ongoing. Normally, for this and other design thinking and project-based learning assignments I do with my students, I have them interview younger peers beforehand to help get ideas and so they can design the product with an audience in mind. Because we were virtual during spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this step in the process was not possible. An important aspect of design thinking is creating the product for the user, which, in this case, was the class as well as me. [...]the prototype phase was essential in creating a product that would engage the classmates and myself. Because the novel excerpt was short, I needed additional texts to support it.