SHIFT Studio
SHIFT: Scholars in Human-Centered, Innovative, and Forward-Thinking Teaching
A professional learning series for educators ready to humanize learning and lead systemic change.
The Siebel Center for Design (SCD) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is proud to offer the Scholars in Human-Centered, Innovative, and Forward-thinking Teaching (SHIFT) Program. This initiative is designed to empower educators across Illinois with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to integrate Human-Centered Design (HCD) into their teaching practices.
SHIFT participants explore core HCD principles and their applications in education, culminating in the creation of a workshop, course, or program designed to teach HCD concepts. By tapping into SCD’s expertise, the program fosters innovation in teaching and strengthens collaboration among scholars statewide.
SHIFT Studio is a customized Human-Centered Design workshop that helps groups tackle a real challenge through a collaborative, facilitated design process. Whether your team is redesigning a course, improving a student experience, developing a new program, or addressing an organizational challenge, SHIFT Studio provides a structured space to understand stakeholders, generate ideas, and move toward actionable solutions.
Each Studio is tailored to the goals and context of the requesting group, making every experience unique and immediately relevant.
Hands-On | Reflective | Immediate Takeaways
Participants will engage in interactive activities, reflect on their own educational contexts, and experiment with human-centered design tools that can be adapted for use in classrooms, programs, or student services.
Available by request whenever convenient for you. Schedule your department or institution's SHIFT Studio session today! Sessions must be requested at least 3 weeks in advance.
SHIFT offers an approachable, engaging introduction to a mindset that puts students at the center of educational design—no design experience required.
Highlights
- Customized for your department, program, or organization
- Focused on a real challenge identified by your group
- Available in-person or virtually
- Minimum of three hours (longer engagements available)
- Interactive, collaborative, and hands-on
- Participants apply HCD methods throughout the workshop
- Agenda designed to meet your team's goals and timeline
Learning Outcomes
- A deeper understanding of Human-Centered Design and its practical applications.
- A shared understanding of the challenge from multiple stakeholder perspectives.
- Clearly identified opportunities for improvement and innovation.
- A collection of creative ideas generated collaboratively.
- One or more early concepts or prototypes tailored to the group's challenge.
- A practical action plan with next steps for implementation.
- Human-Centered Design methods and tools that can be reused in future projects.
- Greater confidence in applying collaborative, human-centered approaches to complex problems.
- Stronger alignment and collaboration among team members.
Sample Topics
- Designing Learning Experiences with Human-Centered Design
- Designing AI Integration Opportunities for University Students
Sample Schedule