Ongoing Project
Kumu Connect
Kumu: Teacher in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
Empowering Hawaiian computer science education with culturally informed asset-based AI tools for teachers.
This project is part of the the educational efforts of Ka Moamoa Lab, in collaboration with a K-9 Hawaiian Immersion Language School in Oahu, Hawaii.
The partnership focuses on enriching students' learning experiences through local Hawaiian language and culture (place-based education).
TEAM
This project in collaboration with educators, researchers, designers, scientists, and community partners from within and outside the Native Hawaiian community, whose support is essential in this project.
Teachers and staff from partner school
Rachel (Lead UX Designer)
Will (UX Researcher)
Leah (UX Researcher)
Jahnavi (UX Desginer)
Dr. Josiah Hester and Dr. Judith Uchidiuno (Lab Advisors)
Collaborators from Hawaii Dept of Education (HIDOE)
TIMELINE
This project was conceptualized in August 2023 by and is ongoing with design and development efforts today.
ROLE
Competitor analysis, ideation and prototyping, contributed to design system.
TOOLS
Figma, FigJam, Qualtrics, Notion, Dovetail
TEAM
This project in collaboration with educators, researchers, designers, scientists, and community partners from within and outside the Native Hawaiian community, whose support is essential in this project.
Teachers and staff from partner school
Rachel (Lead UX Designer)
Will (UX Researcher)
Leah (UX Researcher)
Jahnavi (UX Desginer)
Dr. Josiah Hester and Dr. Judith Uchidiuno (Lab Advisors)
Collaborators from Hawaii Dept of Education (HIDOE)
TIMELINE
This project was conceptualized in August 2023 by and is ongoing with design and development efforts today.
ROLE
Competitor analysis, ideation and prototyping, contributed to design system.
Figma, FigJam, Qualtrics, Notion, Dovetail
TOOLS
CONTEXT
Reframing UX Practices
User Problem
Throughout this project, we critically examine standard UX methods and learn from Indigenous scholars about appropriate research practices that elevate Indigenous knowledge systems, promote equity, and foster co-creation with the community.
CONTEXT
Reframing UX Practices
Throughout this project, we critically examine standard UX methods and learn from Indigenous scholars about appropriate research practices that elevate Indigenous knowledge systems, promote equity, and foster co-creation with the community.
User Problem
Hawai'i Department of Education mandates Computer Science (CS) education next year, but most teachers don't feel confident teaching it.
Place based solutions rely on low tech solutions with ʻōlelo classes having even limited teaching resources.
Schools face a frequent need for substitute teachers, causing students' learning discontinuity.
CURRENT SOLUTION
The current solution is the 2nd iteration based on teachers feedback. We are currently working out the development details based on which the design will be revised.
Kumu Connect allows teachers to efficiently contact substitute teachers, through input fields tailored to their class and administrative needs.
Use Kumu Connect AI to generate plans that are place-based and culturally informed.
Edit sub plans using the platforms Document Editor that aligns with teachers' mental models when creating teaching materials.
IMPACT
Accurately identified pain points in the user journey - helping teachers save time, feel less stressed, and more equipped when creating sub plans.
We were able to gather our findings and give back to community based by writing an academic paper.
We were able to gather our findings and give back to community based by writing an academic paper.
Secured funding from the Google Academic Research Awards to build the platform, and the team is currently working on developing an LLM for ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
“With the sub plans, it would take me at least an hour [to create one] for one day's worth of plans. That took 10 seconds. And if I'm sick, this would be amazing.”
IMPACT
Accurately identified pain points in the user journey - helping teachers save time, feel less stressed, and more equipped when creating sub plans.
“With the sub plans, it would take me at least an hour [to create one] for one day's worth of plans. That took 10 seconds. And if I'm sick, this would be amazing.”
We were able to gather our findings and give back to community based by writing an academic paper.
Secured funding from the Google Academic Research Awards to build the platform, and the team is currently working on developing an LLM for ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
HERE'S HOW WE GOT THERE
Design Process
RESEARCH
Goals
Methods
01 Establishing a knowledge foundation of history and culture
02 Understanding what Hawaiian Language Immersion experience looks like
03 What assets do teachers leverage in the classroom?
04 Understanding Computer Science Education
Secondary Research: Resources shared by partner school teachers, history documentaries, current events, and academic papers.
Talk Story with teachers and classroom observations.
Secondary Research: HI Department of Education: Statewide Survey on CS Education
Goals & Methods
Analysis
Affinity Mapping
Qualitative Coding
Assets Analysis
RESEARCH
Goal 1 Establishing a knowledge foundation of history and culture
Secondary Research: Resources shared by partner school teachers, history documentaries, current events, and academic papers.
Goal 2 Understanding what Hawaiian Language Immersion experience looks like
Goal 3 What assets do teachers leverage in the classroom?
For this, we Talked Story with teachers and classroom observations.
Goal 4 Understanding Computer Science Education
Secondary Research: HI Department of Education: Statewide Survey on CS Education
Analysis
Affinity Mapping
Qualitative Coding
Assets Analysis
DEFINE
Key Findings
observation, interviews
observation, interviews, lit review
conference, lit review
conference, observation
F1. Stand-in teachers have varied backgrounds
F1. Stand-in teachers have varied backgrounds
F2. Frequent subbing creates discontinuity in learning
F2. Frequent subbing creates discontinuity in learning
F4. Place-based schools lean on low tech solutions
F4. Place-based schools lean on low tech solutions
F5. Teachers are open to new tools that improve efficiency
F5. Teachers are open to new tools that improve efficiency
F3. Most teachers do not feel confident teaching CS
F3. Most teachers do not feel confident teaching CS
F6. The ʻŌlelo branch has fewer teaching resources
F6. The ʻŌlelo branch has fewer teaching resources
interviews, lit review
observation, interviews
DEFINE
Key Findings
observation, interviews
F1. Stand-in teachers have varied backgrounds
observation, interviews, lit review
F2. Frequent subbing creates discontinuity in learning
F3. Most teachers do not feel confident teaching CS
interviews, lit review
conference, lit review
F4. Place-based schools lean on low tech solutions
conference, observation
F5. Teachers are open to new tools that improve efficiency
F6. The ʻŌlelo branch has fewer teaching resources
observation, interviews
DESIGN
Concept Sketching
1. Smart Search
Class Coverage
Class Compass
We explored several AI-driven solutions for supporting substitute teachers. I ideated concept 1 feedback for which surfaced accessibility of laptops for and the time demands for lesson prep. Teachers preferred a centralized communication platform (concept 2) that facilitates sub-to-teacher arrangements with AI-assisted, editable lesson plans (concept 3).
User Flow & Wireframes
Concept testing led to a focus on streamlining the user flow for requesting a sub and preparing a sub plan when a teacher is unexpectedly absent. Feedback on this user flow confirmed the relevancy of this approach, integrating with existing sub binder practices and not requiring substitutes to have laptops.
Laying the Design System
I helped establish the design system, including a calendar dropdown that allows for selecting multiple dates and an AI prompt input modal for specifying the tone and purpose of content to be generated.
The typeface used also supports accents, which enables the platform to support multiple languages effectively.
Design Iterations
Using our design system, we created screens and user flows for three tasks: creating a sub request, prompting AI to generate a sub plan, and modifying activities in the sub plan. After in-person testing and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative feedback, we developed the second and current version of the design iteration.
Task 2: Prompt AI to Create Sub Plan
1st Iteration
Feedback insights:
(-) Teachers struggled to remember which class and subjects to prompt for when creating a binder.
(-) They needed more guidance for prompting the AI.
(+) They appreciated how the solution simplifies the sub creation process, allowing them to start rather than begin from scratch.
2nd Iteration
Introduced a new side panel that summarizes the class information for which a sub binder needs to be created.
We introduced example prompts to provide clearer guidance for users when creating AI prompts.
We introduced example prompts to provide clearer guidance for users when creating AI prompts.
Task 1: Creating a Sub Request
Feedback insights:
(-) Teachers were confused about what requests were active, pending or covered.
(+) Olelo to English and calendar view toggle
1st Iteration
2nd Iteration
Changing the layout to vertical sections allowed for more space and functionality to add filtering requests tabs.
Using colored tags in the cards to convey the status of the request.
Task 3: Change Activities in Sub Plan
Feedback insights:
(-) The previous sub plan editor mimicked a physical binder, causing confusing visual hierarchy and misinterpretation of left-side resources. AI editing was also buried, requiring clicks on individual activities.
(+) Teachers praised the generated sub plan for its step-by-step guidance and class-specific resources.
1st Iteration
The layout is now centered on the sub plan, with navigation in a side menu and AI assistance in a floating right-side module.
Manual editing now mirrors the familiar document editor model, enabling users to edit directly and intuitively.
2nd Iteration
We improved the print and share flows by following the zig zag eye grazing pattern, a high-priority feature because it ties into existing assets used by teachers. This addressed a usability issue where teachers struggled to locate the share/print button.
2nd Iteration
1st Iteration
DESIGN
Concept Sketching
We explored several AI-driven solutions for supporting substitute teachers. I ideated concept 1 feedback for which surfaced accessibility of laptops for and the time demands for lesson prep. Teachers preferred a centralized communication platform (concept 2) that facilitates sub-to-teacher arrangements with AI-assisted, editable lesson plans (concept 3).
1. Smart Search
Class Coverage
Class Compass
User Flow & Wireframes
Concept testing led to a focus on streamlining the user flow for requesting a sub and preparing a sub plan when a teacher is unexpectedly absent. Feedback on this user flow confirmed the relevancy of this approach, integrating with existing sub binder practices and not requiring substitutes to have laptops.
Laying the Design System
I helped establish the design system, including a calendar dropdown that allows for selecting multiple dates and an AI prompt input modal for specifying the tone and purpose of content to be generated.
The typeface used also supports accents, which enables the platform to support multiple languages effectively.
Design Iterations
Using our design system, we created screens and user flows for three tasks: creating a sub request, prompting AI to generate a sub plan, and modifying activities in the sub plan. After in-person testing and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative feedback, we developed the second and current version of the design iteration.
1: Creating a Sub Request
1st Iteration
2nd Iteration
Changing the layout to vertical sections allowed for more space and functionality to add filtering requests tabs.
2: Change Activities in Sub Plan
1st Iteration
2nd Iteration
The layout is now centered on the sub plan, with navigation in a side menu and AI assistance in a floating right-side module.
Print Plan Flow
1st Iteration
2nd Iteration
We improved the print and share flows by following the zig zag eye grazing pattern, a high-priority feature because it ties into existing assets used by teachers. This addressed a usability issue where teachers struggled to locate the share/print button.
REFLECTION
1
Relationships and trust matter, both within the team and with our partner school. This foundation of trust and understanding was the bedrock of the project's impact.
2
There is a balance between breaking the grid in design and adhering to good design practices. Innovative design needs testing and refinement to ensure usability.
3
Identifying what is possible and available to build within the environment is as important as having a future vision. Understanding what can be integrated into existing systems is crucial, rather than introducing technology thar can be perceived as invasive.
1
Relationships and trust matter, both within the team and with our partner school. This foundation of trust and understanding was the bedrock of the project's impact.
2
There is a balance between breaking the grid in design and adhering to good design practices. Innovative design needs testing and refinement to ensure usability.
3
Identifying what is possible and available to build within the environment is as important as having a future vision. Understanding what can be integrated into existing systems is crucial, rather than introducing technology thar can be perceived as invasive.
REFLECTION