Scalable and Sustainable Models in Education

What I mean by this, is that you think about scalability you must think about the infrastructure and logistics of scaling, but you must also think about the increased diversity of those who are consuming it. The needs, experiences, and goals are different in every classroom, even those that share a campus. To create a truly global product, one must deeply consider how to create a balance between standardizing the product for all who use it and providing space for each instructor to adapt when needed.

Standardization and Adaptation:

I used a model in which the core objectives of the curricula were not able to be changed, but the instruction could be adapted based on classroom needs. I thought of this as a spectrum and designed a range of materials and support documentation that could be used in different combinations depending on instructor and class needs.

Cross-Cultural Experiential Education:

Focusing on experiential education on a global scale is also a difficult puzzle to solve. The reality is that cultural norms, laws, and traditions may prohibit people from doing the same things based on gender, religion, nationality, race, etc. For this reason, we had to adapt many experiences from the way they were traditionally done at Stanford. This required the team to sketch multiple ideas for each experience and solicit feedback from others quickly. When the feedback was conflicting or unclear, the team had to work within the strictest confines, to assure we would not deliver a program that could not be used or would encourage activity that could be taboo or dangerous to a student or instructor.