Courses & Pitch Events
Explore Our Courses & Pitch Events
In the Learning Design Challenge, cross-campus teams work to develop innovative ideas that promote learning and build community, prototype real-world solutions with mentoring from Stanford and Silicon Valley experts, and pitch their ideas for design awards.
EDUC/ENGR 391:
Engineering Eduction & Online Learning
Fall Quarter: Tue/Thur 1:30-2:50pm, 3 Credits, Graded
EDUC/ENGR 391 is a hands-on course that draws students across campus interested in leveraging science, design, and technology to change what’s possible in teaching & learning.
We explore the latest empirical research in the learning sciences (behavioral, cognitive, constructivist, socio-cultural approaches), human-centered design (ADDIE, agile, design thinking), game design thinking (the core engagement loop & MDAO framework), and emerging technologies (GenAI, AR & VR, IOT, robotics, gamification, wearables, haptics, learning analytics), always focusing on how to provide more students with better learning experiences — to facilitate growth, analytical ability, creativity, and empathy in accessible, diverse, and supportive learning communities.
What You'll Do:
Over the quarter, cross-campus teams will create an interactive prototype or a functioning piece of educational technology.
"This ended up being a 'why I came to Stanford' class for me. It felt like everything we were learning was super relevant and applicable to a range of fields. I encourage anyone interested in edtech, design, and learning theories to take this class."
EDUC 254: Learning Design Workshop
Winter Quarter: Project Launch, Thurs. 1:30-3:20pm, 1-3 Credits, CR/NC
Spring Quarter: Design Sprints, Tue. 3:00-4:50pm, 1-3 Credits, CR/NC
EDUC 254 is a project-based sequence offered first in Winter and then in Spring Quarter. In hands-on workshops, led by prominent academic and industry experts, students define learning problems, recruit teammates, develop an approach to learning and community building using technology, create prototypes, test them with learners, and progressively refine them for entry in the Learning Design Challenge.
Through meetups and other events, we encourage students to form interdisciplinary teams (from Education, Engineering, Business, Medicine, Humanities, etc.) to develop their own ideas to prototype and test over the quarter with the aim of identifying sustainable real-world EdTech projects.
To develop your ideas and their potential for impact, meet and work with like-minded students, and build and test learning tools and environments, join this series of workshops and mentoring sessions with Stanford and Silicon Valley experts.
What You’ll Do:
- Develop your own project ideas focusing on impact
- Find like-minded students & build effective development teams
- Apply human-centered design & UX principles
- Leverage learning science, genAI, VR, game design & more
- Prototype digital environments/tools & test with end-users
- Evaluate for-profit, non-profit, social enterprise & research potential
- Develop & deliver a winning pitch
"I've been immersed in the world of startups, but have never thought about what I was building in a critical manner. This course and the way it was designed have really made a difference for me and what it means to use technology that impacts and transforms lives. I wish I'd encountered these principles sooner in my entrepreneurial journey."
Pitch Events
Pitch events occur at the end of the Winter and Spring sessions of EDUC 254, serving in place of the traditional “final exam”.
Winter Quarter Pitch Event
$1,500 Prototyping Awards
Wednesday, March 6, 2025
At the end of Winter Quarter, interdisciplinary student teams will be invited to pitch their project ideas to faculty and industry experts for $1,500 Prototyping Awards.
Spring Quarter Pitch Event
$9,000 Research-to-Practice Awards
Wednesday, May 27, 2025
At the end of Spring Quarter, award-winning teams from Winter Quarter are invited to pitch their project ideas and demonstrate progress to compete for Research-to-Practice Awards of up to $9,000.
StartX Student-in-Residence Scholarship
$9,000 Scholarship
Students will also be invited to apply for the StartX Student-in-Residence scholarship, a financial aid program intended to support student teams who are building a company or non-profit organization while completing their degree.
FAQ
Any current Stanford students, on their own or with a group, can participate in the Learning Design Challenge. Students from across campus are encouraged to join. Non-Stanford students can join as long as at least one member of a team is a Stanford student with a current SUNet ID.
You can come with a new project idea, or we can help you develop one through human-centered design processes. You can bring a team or build a team.
You will learn to approach problems in education through a student-centered lens, using science and design to create solutions that have the potential for broad adoption. You will have the opportunity to develop and pitch for design awards.
Workshops are not required to pitch in the Winter Quarter, but they are recommended for students without much experience in the science and design of learning. We encourage students to participate in the course, solicit support from mentors, and develop ideas in cross-campus teams. In Spring Quarter, participation in a series of structured design sprints within the course is required to submit an entry. Current Stanford students may audit by special permission. Check with the course team.
EDUC 254 is a variable 1-3 credit course that can be taken both Winter and Spring Quarters. Students may audit the courses by special permission. Check with the course team.
Sign up for EDUC/ENGR 391 and EDUC 254 in Axess.
