How can we harness generative AI to make education more accessible?
That's the question university and college students from across Canada will set out to answer as part of this year's Design for Change challenge, presented by Wilfrid Laurier University's User Experience (UX) Design program.
With more than $15,000 in prizes to be won, participating students will propose strategies that tap generative AI's potential to improve learning experiences and enable accessible education for all. Online registration for the challenge is open to undergraduate-level students from any Canadian university or college until Nov. 12.
"Design for Change is a great opportunity for students to research, design and share their solutions to address current challenges affecting students and educators across the country," said Kathryn Carter, a Laurier professor and User Experience Design program coordinator. "That's what UX design is all about developing human-centred solutions to complex problems."
During the 10-week challenge period, participants can join workshops and consult with peers, mentors and community partners as they craft their designs. Students can compete on their own or in teams of up to five and no prior experience in human-centred design is required.
Top finalists will be chosen to pitch to judges virtually on Feb. 4, 2025. Judges will evaluate student submissions based on design process, usefulness and potential impact. The winning team will receive $1,100 per team member, the second-place team $600 per team member and the third-place team $300 per team member.
Design for Change is presented by Laurier's User Experience Design program. Visit the Design for Change web page for more information.
