Redesigning the Global Capstone: How Participatory Design Transforms Learning

User experience research tells us that the most meaningful products and experiences are designed with – not just for – the intended end user. This design principle has helped shape the objects, spaces, and services we interact with daily – from the seamless online ordering system for a morning coffee run to the ergonomic toothbrush handle we use at night.

At GOA, we regularly practice embedding user experience research methodologies into our approach to learning design. When we set out to reimagine our Global Capstone Experience, we knew a participatory design approach was essential. By centering student and faculty voices throughout the process, we aimed to create an experience responsive to the needs of our learning community. This journey involved phased research, iterative feedback loops, and a commitment to collaboration at multiple stages.

Participatory design is a methodology that shifts the role of the designer from creator to facilitator, ensuring that those who engage with an experience have a voice in shaping it. It prioritizes user feedback and collaboration throughout the design process. For our Capstone redesign, this meant engaging students and faculty early and often to ensure the experience reflected their needs while staying aligned with GOA’s core values.

Students are at the heart of GOA’s mission, so we prioritized their insights throughout the process. While engaging our full student body of nearly 3,000 students a year would feel unfeasible, we benefit from accessing a dedicated group of student leaders in our Student Ambassador program. This group of 65 students, representing voices of 50 schools across 9 countries, serves as a primary user testing group for many of our research and development efforts.

• Before the redesign, we hosted focus groups to better understand students’ needs and to ideate on new course offerings and formats. A key takeaway was a desire for more synchronous interactions and clearer guidance from instructors.

• During the redesign, students co-designed and facilitated our Global Capstone Summit Sessions, shaping how the global study body in GOA courses would share and celebrate their work. Their feedback helped ensure these sessions felt engaging and community-driven.

• Post-redesign, we conducted student interviews at the end of Semester 1 to assess the impact of changes and identify opportunities for continued improvement.

Through this process, we uncovered an important balance: students valued real-time connection with their teacher and peers but also appreciated the flexibility of online learning. We will continue to iterate on the integration of synchronous touchpoints around Global Capstone without compromising student autonomy in Semester 2.

Faculty play an essential role in supporting students through their Capstone journey. Their feedback helped shape key aspects of the redesign:

• Before the redesign, we surveyed faculty to understand the challenges in supporting student projects. Many highlighted the need for clearer pacing and structured support.

• During the redesign, we engaged a group of faculty to review prototypes and share suggestions on how to enhance student agency while maintaining flexibility. This led to multiple pathways for students to navigate their research projects.

• Post-redesign, faculty surveys helped us evaluate workload, student engagement, and areas needing refinement. GOA educators emphasized the need for clearer communication around the Capstone timeline and structured support for research-intensive components.

Based on Semester 1 feedback, we are implementing several refinements for this current term:

• We are creating a high-level video outlining the Capstone process and deliverables, supplemented by instructor-specific guidance.

• Teachers will be empowered and encouraged to adapt Capstone instructions and pacing to fit their unique course structures.

• We will reinforce opt-in faculty support opportunities and adjust assignment timing to reduce scheduling conflicts.

• To accommodate diverse student needs, we will also invite teachers to use optional or asynchronous alternatives to some of the required synchronous components.

Our work to refine the Global Capstone Experience is ongoing, but this participatory design approach has laid the foundation for a more student-centered, engaging, and supportive process. By embedding student and faculty voices at every stage, we have created an experience that is not only intellectually rigorous but also deeply meaningful.

As we continue to iterate, we remain committed to our guiding principle: great design happens when the people who will use the product help create it. The Global Capstone Experience is a testament to that belief, and we are excited to see how it continues to evolve within our learning community.

For more, see:

• Building Belonging: Lessons from GOA Students
  
• Creating Spaces for Dialogue That Matters: World Cafe
• Personalized Pathways: How Member Schools Help Students Expand Their Learning Through GOA

This post is part of our Shifts in Practice series, which features educator voices from GOA’s network and seeks to share practical strategies that create shifts in educator practice. Are you an educator interested in submitting an article for potential publication on our Insights blog? If so, please read Contribute Your Voice to Share Shifts in Practice and follow the directions. We look forward to featuring your voice, insights, and ideas.

GOA is a nonprofit learning organization that reimagines learning to empower students and educators worldwide. In partnership with our global network of 150 schools, we provide interactive, relationship-driven courses, expert resources, and innovative thinking that help to expand and elevate academic programs. Together, we help students and educators become open to the extraordinary.

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