Empathy in Design as a Pathway to Meaningful Learning
Empathy in design is essential when creating educational experiences that truly resonate with students. In this Empathy Report I examine how culturally responsive design—or the lack thereof—impacts young learners in a major metropolitan elementary school where many families face economic hardship. The focus of my report is a kindergarten Social Studies unit on location and maps. While the lesson provides a broad introduction to geography, it lacks meaningful connections to my students’ lived experiences.
Curriculum Without Empathy in Design
Currently, the curriculum presents a generic overview of maps and locations with little relevance to the communities my students call home. It does not incorporate landmarks, neighborhoods, or local geography that would help them see themselves in the lesson. Without these connections, engagement suffers, and the opportunity for deeper understanding is lost. This report explores how empathy-driven design can transform the lesson to be more inclusive, relevant, and engaging for all learners.
Research for Implementation of Empathy in Design
To address the issue of learning through empathy, I took a student-centered approach by conducting interviews with five of my kindergarten students. Rather than focusing on assessment scores, I wanted to understand their emotional and cognitive connection to the lesson on location and maps. My goal was to explore whether they felt engaged with the material, if they found personal meaning in it, and what aspects of the lesson stood out to them. The interview provided an opportunity for students to express their thoughts in their own words, allowing me to gain insight into their perspectives beyond academic performance. I asked open-ended questions about their enjoyment of the lesson, whether they saw connections to their own lives, and what their favorite part was. The responses revealed valuable information about how young learners experience content when it is—or isn’t—designed with their realities in mind.
Final Thoughts
After completing the interviews with my students, I confirmed what I already knew to be true—kindergarteners find greater enjoyment and engagement in lessons when they can see themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods reflected in their learning. When students connected their personal experiences to the concept of location and maps, their excitement was evident. The lesson transformed from a disconnected academic exercise into an organic learning experience where curiosity and understanding naturally developed. By incorporating culturally relevant elements, I saw firsthand how empathy-driven design enhances both engagement and comprehension.
This process also deepened my own understanding of empathy in design. Conducting these interviews reminded me of a passage from Kouprie (2009) which discussed that empathy isn’t just about knowing who the user is—it’s about truly relating to them, valuing their perspective, and designing experiences that affirm their identities. When learning is built with students’ realities in mind, it becomes more than just an instructional moment; it becomes a meaningful, lasting experience. This Empathy Report serves as a reminder that thoughtful, responsive design has the power to transform not just lessons, but the way students see themselves as learners. Moving forward, I am committed to refining my approach to ensure every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
Reference
Kouprie, M. & Sleeswijk Visser, F. (2009). A framework for empathy in design: Stepping into and out of the user’s life, Journal of Engineering Design, 20(5), 437-448.
