What is rapid prototyping and how can it apply to the ELT classroom?

Nicole Kyriacou
A teacher stood in front of her class with her students raising their hands
Reading time: 5 minutes

Tom Chi is an internet veteran with quite a resumé. His roles have been many and varied – from astrophysical researcher to Fortune 500 consultant and corporate executive, developing new hardware and software products and services.

He worked on Microsoft Outlook when it was in its infancy, was a major influence in taking Yahoo Search from 0 to 90 million users and is now Head of Product Experience at Google X – Alphabet’s secretive division focused on creating technological innovations for the future. It has produced the self-driving car and Google Glass, and its Project Loon aims to provide internet to every square inch of the earth.

At Google X, Tom was in a unique position – always having to think five, ten or even more years ahead in order to conceptualize and build the technology of the future. As you might imagine, this is far from an easy task; not only do the ideas have to be original, but they have to meet people’s future needs – something that is not easy to predict.

So, how does Tom and the others at Google X deliver their vision for the future using today's materials and technology?

That’s where Rapid Prototyping comes in. It’s a concept that allows teams to experiment, learn and adjust prototypes quickly and cheaply, so that projects (and products) get off the ground. Failure is seen as a starting block and an inevitable part of the learning process. Following his workshop, we are going to look further at rapid prototyping and how it can relate to the ELT classroom.

Integrating rapid prototyping into ELT teaching
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What are the rules of rapid prototyping?

According to Tom, rapid prototyping follows four main principles:

Rule #1:

You must find the quickest path to experience. Ideas are nothing until they have been tested; prototyping is the quickest path to go from guessing into direct experience. You will soon see an idea’s strengths, weaknesses and potential once you have tried it.

Rule #2:

Doing is the best kind of thinking. People are very good at imagining things, but until we try them, we won’t know what works and what doesn’t. By actually doing something, we’ll come up with new ideas, new challenges and new solutions.

Rule #3:

Prototyping follows a distinct pathway: from conjecture, to experimentation, to results and finally decision-making. Ìý

Prototyping rule #4:

Prototyping helps us reason in time and space: instead of lots of planning, imagination and guesswork, it makes us build something real, considering real use cases and real situations.

How does rapid prototyping affect progress?

The rapid-prototyping learning loop follows this pattern:

  1. Building a variation
  2. Testing with customers
  3. Observing results
  4. Adjusting from results

This process allows us to increase the chances of success in any given project dramatically. For example, if an idea has a 5% chance of success, by trying it 20 times there is a 64% chance of success and by trying it 50 times, there is a 92% chance of success.

Considering that each time an idea is prototyped, learning takes place, the chances of success are likely even higher with every trial.

But wait, what has rapid prototyping got to do with the ELT classroom?

Tom shows how a technology giant like Google can innovate and produce results quickly and efficiently through rapid prototyping – and all the while, he is explaining how much faster learning is when we experiment and do things.

Encouraging project-based work

Of course, our students are not innovating or building new products for tech companies, they are aiming to learn a language. But as Tom said, learning by doing is much faster and more effective than simply conjecturing and talking about theories.

Following his first rule of prototyping (find the quickest path to experience), we need to give students the experience of using the language as fast as possible. Project and task-based learning allows students to build their vocabulary, and test their grammar and overall communications skills in an authentic way.

This also covers Tom’s second rule (doing is the best type of thinking). If we can tap into our students’ creativity, we can allow them to experiment with language, discover what they know and what they don’t know, and then really work on learning the things they need for certain tasks.

When it comes to Tom’s third rule (conjecture, experimentation, results, decision-making), the teacher has more responsibility. We need to look at how we benchmark, measure and analyze our learner’s progress. Without a pathway, our students will not know how they are progressing and may easily lose motivation. The students therefore need to have a firm idea of their abilities, when they need to learn and how they are currently performing. We can then make decisions regarding individual class plans and syllabi.

Finally, by exposing our students to authentic materials, we cover Tom’s fourth rule (reason in time and space). Authentic readings, listenings and videos give learners the opportunity to work with real-world language, trying out what they are learning in authentic contexts. It helps them imagine using the language outside of the safe environment of the classroom too, giving them the challenge they need to push them into learning faster.

Fostering a growth mindset

The very fact that Tom’s team is able to imagine and prototype what seem like impossible ideas – that then have the potential to change the world – is awe-inspiring.

We can all learn from his vision, tenacity and methodology. At the heart of the experimentation and learning at Google X lies a growth mindset.

If we help our students develop a growth mindset, they will see failure as an opportunity to learn, as well as a challenge as a chance to grow, and feedback as a constructive way to improve.

Learning is a dynamic process. As teachers, it’s important for us to look outside the world of education to find inspiration and ideas. We hope this has sparked your curiosity and added a dash of inspiration for your future classes.

Read our post 'Fostering critical thinking in the classroom' and the webinar 'Develop a growth mindset'.

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    How to encourage your teenage students to become independent learners

    By Nicola Pope

    Learning is a lifelong activity regardless of age, position, or ambition. Many teachers embody this philosophy themselves – and would like nothing more than for their teenage students to develop strategies to become independent learners.

    But teachers often feel frustrated when their students rely on them too much or show a lack of motivation and focus in the classroom.

    Let’s look at how to start a project that holds your students’ attention. We’ll also go into how you can help your students practice and develop a range of English language skills at the same time.

    The benefits of starting a project that interests your students

    Group projects are motivating because they give students a common objective to work towards. The need to work as part of a team teaches teens collaboration skills, such as accountability. When learners decide on roles within their groups it soon becomes apparent just how important it is for them to be responsible and do their part.

    Project work also often encourages students to push themselves beyond their comfort zones as they try and test new skills. This is often true when learners are required to present on a topic or learn how to do something practical (like using PowerPoint or Google Slides for presentation design).
    In addition, projects can test a variety of English language and 21st century skills such as:

    • critical thinking skills (for planning and development of ideas)
    • topic/subject-specific vocabulary
    • reading and listening comprehension (for researching)
    • speaking skills (for group work)
    • creative skills (for project development and production)
    • presenting skills (for the final delivery of the project)

    Furthermore, when projects take place over several classes, students often eventually get into a routine and seek less direction from the teacher. They know what needs to be done and get on with it in their groups. Of course, you will still need to monitor and offer guidance throughout the project.

    The key elements of an independent learning project

    Find a meaningful subject matter

    First, you’ll need to start with a topic that engages your students. To discover this, put students in groups (online in breakout rooms or in the classroom) and have them work together and mind map some local, national or global problems they would like to solve. For example:

    • The local theater has closed down and they want to set up a new drama club.
    • There is a lot of pollution in the capital city and they want to help reduce it.
    • The rainforest is being deforested and they want to create awareness.

    After they have a good-sized list, instruct each group to pick something they would like to learn more about. Alternatively, if your students are unlikely to find interesting problems to solve themselves, provide them with several short-level-appropriate reading materials about topics you think will catch their attention. That way they can learn about local or international issues and choose a project focus.

    Balancing guidance and instruction

    A vital goal of this project-based approach is to encourage students to be independent. That does not mean they should have no boundaries or objectives, however.

    You’ll need to set deadlines, tell them what you expect of them, and explain how they should present their projects at the end. And depending on their levels, your students will also need a certain amount of scaffolding. You can do this using a set of questions. For example:

    1. What is the main problem you want to solve?
    2. Who does it affect?
    3. Why is it important to change?
    4. What steps could you take to solve the issue?
    5. Who could help you do this?
    6. How could we do this as a group?
    7. How can we present the issue to make people care about it?

    These questions can form the basis of the project, which can last from one to several weeks, depending on their age, level and time restraints. Adapt the questions to suit your students and the specific needs of their projects.

    Facilitating teamwork

    Encourage students to work together to plan, research and present their ideas. Set days or classes by which certain project elements must be completed. This helps ensure that the students make progress and encourages them to ask you questions if they are stuck.

    Decide whether you want to give set times during your classes to work on the project, or whether you want to dedicate entire classes to their work. Also, think about how much work should be completed in your student's own time. Their workload, level of English, and access to technology will all impact your decision.

    For example:

    • Class one: Define the problem you want to solve. Consider what you need to find out, decide on individual roles and develop an action plan. Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class two: Research your project questions and share what you find with the group. Is there anything else you need to know? Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class three: Come up with a presentation outline and begin to work on it.
    • Homework: Each work on your individual presentation section.
    • Class four: Show the teacher your progress. Practice your presentations.
    • Class five: Practice and then deliver your presentations.

    You may wish to allow students the freedom to choose how they would like to present it. Give instructions on how long you expect the presentation to be. If working remotely, collaboration tools such as Google Docs, and are excellent for facilitating teamwork.

    Here are some ways you might ask them to present:

    • a poster and presentation
    • an online presentation (e.g. using PowerPoint)
    • a website (on paper or online)
    • a video presentation
    • a theatrical production
    • a podcast episode.

    Keep in mind that the objective is to help them research, present and deliver a project in English. Check in regularly on progress and provide feedback and help whenever needed.

    While it’s important to monitor and guide them with the English language as they work, it’s also crucial to let students make decisions for themselves.