1. A way to hold a wireless microphone so that it is hands-free and doesn't need to be in the pockets of your jacket
2. A way to distinguish dry-erase markers from paper/flipchart markers at a glance
3. A way to help students remember a large number of new terms and concepts introduced in a course
4. A way to introduce students to the potential of map-making as an art form
5. A dish-cleaning product-holder that is visually appealing and easily accessible
6. A way to hold a hoodie in place so that it only covers a part of your hair
7. A way to organize handbags so that the organizer is close to the top half of the handbag (when it is a tote-size)
8. A product that organizes pill-taking so that a cup, a holder with dividers for pills, and a check-off or tear-off strip for keeping track of pill-taking, are all parts of it
9. A product that organizes tea-drinking so that a thermos for hot water, a cup, a spoon, a holder for teabags and sugar packets, and a disposal chamber are all parts of it
10. A way to keep sweater buttons tightly sewn for people who tend to fiddle with them so that they come off.
I am going to address #3 -- a way to help students remember a large number of new terms and concepts introduced in a course. I want to create something that is like a set of flashcards but I want to use visualization and humor as additional devices to increase recall.
This gap satisfies the four course project criteria because:
1. I personally experience the gap. I am taking multiple classes in Coursera and a lot of them contain jargon (terms from psychology, business, economics, etc.) that I have to understand and grasp quickly in order to do well on the quizzes.
2. I have a number of friends who are teachers, and other friends who are students--all of them experience this gap. An artifact that will help students remember concepts and terms is one that both groups will find useful.
3. I can imagine creating a prototype of this artifact in this course. I think it will be easy and not too expensive to make the "flashcards." Even binding them together, using services by a local Staples will not be too expensive. This project will also make use of skills that I want to build in this course, such as the ability to sketch and express ideas visually.
4. The gap is an artifact that is in a domain that interests me: graphic design, especially products that blend information, visual thinking, and originality.