Generation Innova. Equality through imagination.
Guionce
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Minute 11:11: Pause to imagine

We propose activating minute 11:11 in the classroom: brief pauses that encourage imagining an accessible environment freely through simple questions that will inspire your students' participation, valuing their imagination and their desire to improve their surroundings towards a fairer and more inclusive society.

The moment to activate these reflection questions is crucial to maximise their impact and ensure that students are receptive and prepared to use them as a lever to imagine their accessible products.

Once you have introduced the "development of accessible products" activity and explained the objective of this 42nd edition and its subsequent submission to the contest, ask your students these questions to help them focus their solutions through imagination and empathy.

  • This is the start of "immersion". The questions activate empathic thinking and prompt imagining solutions. They help students move from an abstract understanding of accessibility to visualising concrete situations.
  • The questions act as imagination triggers and "unblockers" to use when ideas flow with difficulty. If students feel stuck or their ideas are too broad, you can ask them to reflect on these questions. This will help them refine the problem they want to solve and think of more specific and original solutions.
  • The questions help students validate the relevance of the barriers they have identified. It invites them to delve into whether they truly understand the challenge from the perspective of a person with a disability. It encourages them to ask: "Is this a real and significant barrier? Do I understand it thoroughly?"

Questions for minute 11:11 pause to imagine

If a person could not see anything at all, how would they know what is in front of them on a table? How would they manage to move safely through a new space? How could they choose the clothes they want to wear to school?

Imagine that you cannot use your hands or arms for anything. How could you open a door, turn on a light, respond to a message on your phone, or prepare your backpack to go to class?

If you could hear nothing at all, how would you find out that someone is calling your name? How would you know if the bus you're waiting for has arrived? How would you find out that the school bell has rung? How would you understand what's being explained in class? And how could you comprehend what your best friend is saying in a WhatsApp audio?

Think of something as simple as a glass of water. If you had difficulty moving or controlling your movements, how could you drink without spilling water? How could you prevent popcorn from falling in the cinema if you couldn't control the movements of your hands and arms?

What would happen if information were presented in only one way (for example, text only on a screen, or audio only in an advertisement)? How could you ensure that everyone understands it? And what about when the information is complex and disorganised?

If you had to use a everyday object (a pen, scissors, a remote control) without using your fingers, how would you redesign it to make it useful?

What sounds or visual signals could you add to something that already exists to make it easier to use or detect for someone with a sensory disability?

If a friend with a specific disability came to your house to play, what would they be concerned about doing? How would you adapt your toys or activities so they could enjoy themselves fully?

Think of something that people take for granted, like climbing stairs or signing a document. How could you make that action possible for someone with a physical limitation?

If you had to explain something complex to someone with a cognitive disability, how would you change the way you presented the information to make it clear and simple?