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2026.10.09

CONT 951 – Module 2 – Prototyping in the Design Process

I try to plan lessons as thoughtfully as possible, but I have learned that at a certain point it is best to get it out there and refine it afterward.

First, I create a rough draft of the lesson. Next, I pretend to deliver the lesson to my cat in my apartment. He doesn’t give good feedback, but he’s a good representation of a student. Sleeping. Just kidding!

For a lab, I run it with another teacher if possible. I try to take a student’s perspective and note what may be difficult to follow or extraneous to the lab’s point. Often, I can cut multiple steps and still get the same result.

After trying the lab myself and running through the instructions and content, I see little point in “sweating the small stuff.” Once a lab gets going, I will see what considerations matter. Often, refining a lesson plan means tailoring it to the specific room I am in, which can change all the time.

I have also learned to gather feedback from the users (students). After I try a lesson or lab for the first time, I ask students to fill out a Google survey with a few basic questions: how was the pacing, was it engaging, and what could be improved?

This process matters because it lets me focus on the big ideas first and refine the lesson class by class. It saves me time at the computer and keeps me be mindful of the student experience as I deliver the lesson.