Empathy is a crucial characteristic that enables people to perceive things from a different viewpoint, fostering connections with others.
As part of my work in UNC-Chapel Hill’s MEITE program, I have been tackling a “wicked problem.” A wicked problem is one that does not have a single correct answer but rather has many potential solutions. For my wicked problem, I chose to investigate ways to reconcile standardized testing with teacher evaluations. I picked this wicked problem because standardized testing has significant impacts on teachers, students, and school districts. It is essential to discover a common ground that can lead to success for all stakeholders.
As part of an assignment, I created an Empathy Map that considers the perspectives of everyone involved in the wicked problem. To guide my work, I utilized TUZZit as the framework for the Empathy Map. This tool was helpful, easy to use, and helped me begin to think more in depth with my wicked problem. This tool was user-friendly, helped me delve more deeply into my wicked problem, and enabled me to begin considering the viewpoints of test creators, teachers, parents, and students regarding standardized testing.
