Using Design Thinking to Promote Active Learning in Digital Marketing Pedagogy: Toward a ‘6S’ Community
Using the Design Thinking approach, the team engaged with 2 cohorts of students toward the co-creation and co-design of how the MarTech-Laboratory (the Lab) could better support students and engage stakeholders in the field of Digital Marketing and to improve employability outcomes and networking opportunities. The Design Thinking workshops focused on development of a student-led hub in support of curriculum redesign, increasing student engagement and improving overall experience. Further co-creation with enterprises focused on developing higher value digital strategies in the classroom and this outcome was of particular value to all parties.
This innovative pedagogic approach guided the development of a new experience to integrate what came to be known as the 6S Community (Student led; Specialist supported; engaging Startups; Social enterprises; Sustainability focused; and Social good projects) toward creating better learning experience and building a platform toward building an ecosystem of ‘6S’ community support for active learning approaches (Bustard et al., 2022). As well as delivering a unique and applied marketing pedagogy, the process was underpinned with the important knowledge, understanding and practical application of marketing technology as highlighted by stakeholders and students to have significant value from an employability perspective.
This approach has enabled significant student buy-in and increased stakeholder willingness to support learners with advice and opportunities and has culminated in success in gaining SLaTE funding at Ulster University to support engagement of Lab Assistants, the development of micro internship opportunities and an inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional experience to further deliver MarTech Software Certification to students and stakeholders too.