Sophie van Montfoort on LinkedIn: #uxdesign #onderwijs #echtonderwijs #merklancering #branding (2024)

📢 Exciting news! We're all on the path of becoming Learning Experience Designers! 💼✨In this video, we explore the idea that decision-making doesn't have to be final; it's just the beginning of our journey as designers. We are honing a newfound skill, one that we may not have realized we possessed. Together, we brainstorm and create blueprints for crafting exceptional experiences at any given moment. 🌟🎨As an example, I have developed 60 unique learning experiences, tailored specifically for the little ones - Little Stars and Little Pilots. The immersive nature of these experiences, involving all the senses, leaves a lasting impression on three-year-olds, four-year-olds, and beyond. Imagine the possibilities for five-year-olds, ten-year-olds, and even twenty-year-olds! 💡🌍But here's the exciting part: these ideas are not limited to young learners. They can also be applied to adult classes. This approach has made my teaching unforgettable for adults as well. They remember our classes through their own senses and enthusiastically refer me to their friends, family, and colleagues. 🌿🗣️Join us on this journey of designing remarkable learning experiences that leave a lasting impact. Let's create memories that resonate and empower learners of all ages! 🌈🚀#LearningExperienceDesigners #BluePrintForExperiences #YoungLearners #AdultClasses #MemorableTeaching #EmpoweringLearners #DesigningExperiences #UnforgettableJourney #Education #LifeLongLearning #TheodoraBogiou #exSELlens #SELato

Passion plays a pivotal role in our professional lives, guiding our choices and magnifying our impact. It's essential to deeply resonate with the product or domain you're diving into. For me, anything connected to nurturing nature, wildlife, or alternative energy sources strikes a chord. Fintech and education are also realms close to my 🫀.Reflecting on my journey, I have 3+ years of experience teaching both privately and in schools, 2+ years as a lecturer at a university, giving me a comprehensive grasp of academic structures and concepts. Interestingly, teaching English at a technical university introduced me to diverse departments. From engineering to software students, it was here that my love for UX design was acknowledged and truly flourished. Teaching finance-related topics was an enlightening challenge - diving deep into unfamiliar territory, learning first, and then imparting knowledge. Such experiences cemented my love for continuous learning and innovation.Fast forward to today, I'm a UX Designer with 4+ years of experience in the USA, a nation of incredible opportunities and dynamism. The amalgamation of my teaching experiences and my passion for design makes me a designer with a unique set of skills, and I couldn't be more thrilled about the journey ahead.What about you? Every designer I meet has such a rich tapestry of experiences and stories. Share yours! I'm genuinely eager to hear about the diverse backgrounds that shape the wonderful world of design. Let's get to know each other better! 🌟🎨📚#uxdesign #dc #joboppurtunity #jobalert #motivation #userexperience

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Congrats to my former students from California College of the Arts MDes program who graduated today! I handed out handwritten notes appreciating their efforts 💖If you want to hire UX designers with kickass portfolios, reach out to me and I’ll send some applicants your way!Here are a few highlights from my UX Research foundations course (Design, People, and Society):🌸 Individual projects Since students were in their first semester at the time - I wanted to hold space for them to explore their individual research interests. All 15 students developed detailed UXR projects over the course of 15 weeks and I was impressed by their quick learning curve!🌸 Bigger time investmentIndividual projects also meant I had to devote additional time with feedback on 17 unique projects instead of 3-4 group projects - but I considered it a worthwhile investment of time and efforts because grad school is a nice place to discover your interests. 🌸 Industry mentors I found one mentor per student (15 industry mentors!) who were experts of their domain. The project themes were quite diverse: financial literacy, mental health and wellness, ethical fashion, environmental conservation, toy sharing etc. - which is why having a mentor besides the professor was (hopefully) valuable for students. 🌸 Co-created syllabus 65-70% syllabus and activities were planned in advance based on interviews with industry UXRs and World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs’ report. The rest was updated by asking students “What else would you like to learn about UXR?”. We covered why and how to conduct research that empowers design. 🌸 Job preparednessStudents were encouraged to gear their research projects towards their long-term career goals: connecting with thought leaders in their area of interest, developing portfolio pieces, laying a strong foundation for future projects, and more importantly thinking like a researcher to inform their designs. 🌸 To those who valued these efforts, thanks for noticing 💖 #highereducation #learningexperiencedesign

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Over the past week, I took a decision to step away from the constant stream of social media contents. It might sound drastic, but it was a deliberate choice to dedicate focused time to deep learning within the design field.I'm often inspired by the incredible works I come across but lately, I felt the need to go beyond the scroll and truly immerse myself in the fundamentals of user centered design: the ones that goes beyond aesthetics and really solved problems.This break allowed me to:Dive into online courses: I enrolled in a comprehensive user experience design course and spent hours delving into the intricacies. It was a chance to revisit the foundations and gain a deeper understanding of the "why" behind the design choices we make.Devour industry publications: I spent time catching up on the latest design trends and insights through trusted publications. This exposure broadened my perspective and sparked new ideas for future projects.Experiment and create: Stepping away from the online world allowed for uninterrupted focus on personal projects. I explored new design techniques and rediscovered the joy of simply creating.Returning now, I feel refreshed and motivated. The knowledge I gained has already started influencing my approach to design, and I'm excited to share it with others and collaborate on new, innovative projects.This experience highlighted the importance of creating space for focused learning within our busy professional lives. Whether it's a full week or just a few dedicated hours, prioritizing self-improvement can lead to significant personal and professional growth.P.S. If you've embarked on a similar learning journey, I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments!#uiuxdesign #lifelonglearning #growthmindset

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The new semester at the IU Internationale Hochschule has now started and I have the privilege of continuing this incredibly fulfilling journey as a lecturer inproduct design. 🌟As some of you may consider becoming a lecturer as well, I want to share what I learned during the last semester with you.🔹 Sharing my knowledge and passion forproduct designwith enthusiastic students has been a source of immense joy and satisfaction. Witnessing the growth and development of my students has been the ultimate reward. 💡🔹 One of the key aspects that I cherish about being a lecturer is the ability to bring in and develop new skills to be a good educator. Here are some of these skills that I believe contribute to the effectiveness as a lecturer in product design:✅Enthusiasm: Infusing energy and enthusiasm into the teaching lessons has not only kept me motivated but has also inspired my students to embrace their own creativity and passion.✅Effective Communication: Clear and concise communication has been crucial in conveying the complex process of app development, ensuring that students grasp the essence of the subject matter.✅Organizational Skills: By meticulously planning and structuring lessons, I have been able to provide an easy step-by-step approach to the versatile topic of mobile media design✅Continuous Learning: Staying up-to-date with the latest trends and industry practices inproduct designhas allowed me to provide relevant and cutting-edge knowledge to my students, preparing them for real-world challenges.✅Collaboration and Teamwork: Encouraging teamwork and collaboration among students has not only enhanced their learning experience but has also nurtured their ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary design teams.How did I learn about these skills?Every semester, IU asks students to rate their courses using a survey (see excerpts of results below). This method is a great tool for my self-improvement. Also, it's a boost of motivation to continue contributing to the growth and development of the future generation of designers who will hopefully make a difference. 🚀#ProductDesign#Lecturer#TeachingPassion#Creativity#DesignEducation#MakingADifference

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The Future of Design Education: Adapting to a Changing World Education evolves, so does design! Explore the future of design education and how it adapts to the ever-changing landscape of design skills. Consider the rise of emerging technologies like AR/VR, the increasing demand for user experience expertise, and the growing importance of data visualization skills. Analyze how design schools are incorporating these trends into their curriculum or how online courses are providing new learning opportunities. Share your thoughts on the future of design education and help shape the learning journey for aspiring designers! #futureofeducation #graphicdesign #learndesign #emergingtechnologies#graphicdesigning

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Continuously boosting your design skills is crucial and putting some money into learning more can really help you grow, especially when you've already started your journey. Here's my experience with investing in education to move forward. 🚀Here's how I do it:👉🏻 Design community: Being part of design communities is fantastic. It's a chance to chat with other designers, exchange ideas, and dive into webinars and live challenges together. Imagine creating alongside talented designers in the same Figma file, sharing insights, and learning from each decision made. This mix of conversation and collaboration is a real game-changer, sharpening both your design skills and your ability to communicate your ideas effectively.👉🏻 Design courses: Maven offers a wide array of courses on various topics. I once enrolled in a UI design course there and found it incredibly insightful. These courses pack a lot into a short timeframe, blending video lessons with live workshops. Additionally, the presence of a community chat for feedback makes the learning process both interactive and engaging.👉🏻 Mentorship sessions: adplist.org is a fantastic resource for designers wanting to get better. Chatting with seasoned designers from around the globe for free? Yes, please! I've had countless mentorship sessions discussing everything from daily challenges to career paths, all of which have been invaluable. Learning about mentors' personal journeys not only motivates you but also helps you navigate your career without making common beginner mistakes.These are my go-to strategies for self-education in design. I'm keen to hear how you folks are leveling up your skills! Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments!#design #uiux #webdesign #selfeducation #designtips #mentorship #designcourse

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UX is really for me❤️. I don't know if I'd be able to design all the screens that this sitemap will generate😮💨, I enjoyed every bit of this, it took half a day tho, Here's a quick overview of the sitemap main pages.📚 Desk: Boost your productivity with flashcards, timers, note-taking, academic goals, and performance tracking, all in one place! Stay organized and ace your studies with StudyStack's Desk feature. #StudySmart #AcademicSuccess #StudentLife🎒 Backpack: Carry all your academic essentials in one digital backpack! Seamlessly manage tasks, assignments, courses, notes, files, and schedules for an efficient and stress-free academic journey. 🎒 #StayOrganized #StudentTools #EducationTech🚀 Quick Add: Introducing the Quick Add FAB! Easily create new courses, classes, tasks, assignments, notes, projects, quizzes, time blocks, and academic goals with just a tap. Effortlessly manage your academic life! ⚡️ #StudyMadeEasy #ProductivityBoost📊 Dashboard: Your academic command center! Stay on top of class schedules, task progress, assignment deadlines, and academic performance analytics. Maximize your potential with StudyStack's powerful Dashboard. 📊 #StudentDashboard #AcademicAnalytics💬 Community: Connect, collaborate, and grow together! Join groups and classrooms, interact with friends, participate in forums, attend events, and engage in discussions. Experience the power of community with StudyStack! 🤝 #AcademicCommunity #collaboration

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In today’s digital world, the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth has taken many different paths.But the two important paths are:→ self-learning.→ Earning a college degree.These two paths have their benefits.→ College programs offer in-depth knowledge within a specific field.→ College brings together a diverse community of students, professors, and industry professionals.→ Colleges provide access to extensive libraries, research facilities, laboratories, and expert faculty.→ A college degree carries weight in many industries and officially validates your educational achievements.But self-learning is quite the opposite of having a college degree:→ Self-learning allows you to set your own pace, choose the subjects that interest you most, and tailor your education to your needs and goals.→ Self-learners can adapt rapidly to emerging technologies, trends, and industry developments.→ Self-learning requires fewer resources and can be done at your convenience, making it an attractive option for those seeking an alternative to traditional education.→ Self-learners have the freedom to focus on practical applications and hands-on projects.Earning a college degree is great. But in today’s world, you can’t just survive with a college degree.For example, take UX Design.→ You don’t need a design degree for a job.→ Professional designers, not colleges teach most courses.→ You can do freelance without even a college degree.However the option of self-learning depends upon each field.→ In the field of UX Design, you can survive just with self-learning.→ But it won’t be possible in the field of engineering and architecture.My suggestion is: No matter what field you are in, have a college degree but also Self-learn a lot.Only self-learning sets you apart.Hope this helps you!#freelancer #studentsuccess #studentstartup #personalgrowth

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