Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, create 'empathy driven' curricula, which push design that improves lives.

Christian Science Monitor
by Esha Chhabra
30 Sep 11

This school doesn't really have classrooms. In fact, Stanford University's Institute of Design in California isn't really a "school," jokes Prof. Jim Patell. Instead of classrooms, there are clusters of discussion and activity. Instead of blackboards, its walls come covered in massive sheets of white paper, design sketches, and countless Post-it notes. Instead of relying on final exams alone, the program measures success by how its students improve lives in the developing world.

Stanford's Institute of Design, more commonly referred to as d.school, specializes in pooling students from all different areas of study. Here, public-policy wonks mix with computer scientists, engineers, and medical students. Despite its quirks, or rather because of them, students compete for seats in d.school classes – compete for a chance to step outside academia and start changing the real world.

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Some of the creations -- a crowdsourcing system that will enable people in Kenya to locate clean sources of water using mobile phones.low-cost infant warmer….solar devices for India and Africa….low-cost irrigation pumps for Myanmar….text-message-based system for prenatal care in Kenya….

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Bringing together students with nonprofit collaborators, says Stanford political science professor Joshua Cohen, is what helps his classroom thrive. Even though these students are crafting prototypes for business, many of them do not have a business background. Rather, the emphasis is on "empathy driven" research, requiring students to understand the individuals they're designing for.

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"There's definitely more demand than the course can afford," says Dr. Parikh. "But, yes, this is definitely associated with the growing interest in social enterprise. What students are realizing is that they can work full time on work that's fulfilling, socially rewarding, and aligned with their values. And they can do it in firms and with job titles and salaries that are very comparable to their peers'."


http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/...world-changers