Enhancing Education Through Human-Centered Design: Insights from Amanda Di Dio

Welcome to The Jeff Bradbury Show. In this episode, Amanda DiDio, VP of Partnerships and Operations at Optimistic Design, discusses the importance of human-centered and equity-centered design in education. She emphasizes the need for educators to be involved in the design process of educational technology, ensuring that solutions are tailored to their needs. The discussion covers the challenges faced by EdTech companies, the significance of engaging teachers and students in the design process, and the emerging trends in educational technology, particularly the integration of AI. Amanda shares her journey in the field and highlights the importance of prioritizing user feedback to create effective educational tools. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! Conversation Takeaways

• Human-centered design focuses on the needs of users.
• Equity-centered design involves recognizing power dynamics in design.
• Engaging teachers early in the design process builds trust.
• Understanding classroom context is crucial for product success.
• Aha moments often occur when students are involved in design.
• Prioritization mapping helps balance user feedback.
• The education landscape is ready for innovative design approaches.
• AI integration in education requires careful consideration.
• Emerging technologies should focus on equitable outcomes.
• Collaboration with educators enhances the design process.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Human-Centered Design in Education
• 01:52 Understanding Human-Centered and Equity-Centered Design
• 05:21 Engaging Educators in the Design Process
• 10:00 Challenges in Implementing Educational Technology
• 12:23 Aha Moments in Design with Educators
• 15:20 Balancing Feedback from Users
• 17:26 Amanda's Journey in EdTech
• 20:25 Emerging Technologies and Future Trends

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About our Guest: Amanda Di Dio Amanda Di Dio is the VP of Partnerships & Operations at Optimistic Design. A delivery strategist and program lead, Amanda has extensive experience collaborating with multidisciplinary project teams to strategize, plan, and execute research strategies to design and build digital experiences across various industries.As a founding member of Optimistic Design, Amanda has brought equity-centered practices to education clients including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Khan Academy, USC Shoah Foundation, and MDRC. Amanda also supports organizations in education technology, guiding them on equity-centered approaches within traditional product R&D processes. She also plays a pivotal role in driving growth, support, and capacity building amongst her clients and teams. Links of Interest Website: https://optimistic.design LinkedIn: