A presentation by Dr. David Cheney for the Investing in Abilities 2017 lecture series, on emerging technologies and tech strategies for empowerment, especially focused on using education to crowdsource solutions to interesting problems and develop compassion and a sense of humanity.

1. David Chesney
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department
The University of Michigan

2. ‘Bright
Shiny
Things’
Clinical
Need
My
Courses

3. Drone
& iPad
Tommy
iPad
App

4. Propose & Pitch
Requirements & Design
Build
Test & Maintain

5.  Freshman-level Introduction to Engineering Process
 Design, Build,Test
 Context is children with differing abilities
 Often: Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Currently: Visual Impairment / Blindness
 Developing software is simply the approach
 Targeted toward students with NO previous programming experience
 Recruitment tool for CS

6.  Senior-level Capstone Course
 Teach Software Engineering
 Traditional Curriculum (Requirements, Design, Coding,Testing, Maintenance)
 Context is clinical need and / or children with differing abilities
 And, using whatever is the latest, greatest technology (gaming, wearables,…)

7.  Senior-level Capstone Course
 Teach Accessible Software Design and Implementation
 Non-Traditional Curriculum (Requirements, Design, Coding,Testing, Maintenance)
 Backed by Industry Partners
 Context is clinical need and / or children with differing abilities
 And, using whatever is the latest, greatest technology (gaming, wearables,…)

8. Term
Population
Total
Students
%Female %Male
F09 59 8% 92%
W11 61 16% 84%
F11 57 9% 91%
F12 58 17% 83%
W14 59 27% 73%
ENG100

9. Term
Population
Total
Students
%Female %Male
F09 27 19% 81%
F10 42 16% 84%
W12 48 10% 90%
W13 71 14% 86%
F13 74 11% 89%
W14 64 16% 84%
F14 70 19% 81%
EECS481

10. What I thought would happen
My
Students
Our
Client

11. What actually happens
My
Students
Our
Client