For Educators

<Description>

Mapped Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify
  2. Assess and evaluate
  3. Synthesize and re-design

<Links to learning activities with images>

Assessing Dark Patterns

Description

“Assessing Dark Patterns” is an in-class activity to introduce students to various dark patterns strategies used by technologists in digital website or mobile applications.

Steps

  1. Introduction to darkpattern strategies (10-15 minutes)
    • Existing definition of dark pattern strategies from the website and elaborate the differences among those strategies.
    • Definitions and subcategories of darkpattern strategies.
  2. Identify one example for each darkpattern strategy (5-7 min)
    • Skim through the examples in our corpus on the website to identify instances you commonly face.
  3. Discuss about the collected examples (10-15 mins)
    • Allow students to debrief their experiences in small groups or to the whole class.
    • Students can reflect on Probe: What is the reason this dark pattern was used in the selected example?
  4. Reflection and Designer’s Responsibility (15 mins)
    • Discuss with students who might have been encouraged in implementing this dark pattern in the example. (List:  software developer, UX designer, UX writer, Interaction designer, product manager)
    • Assess examples with students on user vs. stakeholder value
    • Assess examples with students on user‘ impact.

Variations

  1. Students can be grouped for identifying the examples together.
  2. Instructors can use the MIRO board for better discussion and copy pasting the examples.
  3. Instructors can use scales from “mild” to “severe” to assess user impact.

Materials Required

Dark Patterns Scavenger Hunt

Description

“Dark Patterns Scavenger Hunt” is an in-class activity to engage students in assessing and identifying various dark patterns strategies used in digital website or mobile applications.

Steps

  1. Introduction to darkpattern strategies (20-25 minutes)
    • Introduce students to the existing definition of dark pattern strategies, their subcategories, from the website and elaborate on the differences among those strategies.
    • Discuss with students who might have been encouraged in implementing this dark pattern in the example. (List:  software developer, UX designer, UX writer, Interaction designer, product manager)
    • Assess examples with students on user vs. stakeholder value
    • Assess examples with students on user‘ impact.
  2. Divide class into 4-5 groups (2-3 mins)
  3. Assign a website/mobile application per group (2-3 mins)
    • Instructor curates a short list of websites/ services for students to select from.
  4. Identify the darkpatterns (10 mins)
    • Allow students to report identified darkpatterns on a public forum in real-time. 
    • Instructors can gamify the identification process.
  5. Report your findings (10-15mins)
    • Students can share their experience of the process of identification per group.
    • The group can individually report out what they find in the whole class.
    • If you find anything interesting, feel free to add to our corpus here: Seen a pattern?

Materials Required

Diary Study Activity

Description

“Diary Study” is an after-class assignment to engage students in identifying and reflecting on dark patterns as they experience in their everyday digital website or mobile applications.

  1. Engage in a mini-diary study (2-3 days)
    • During a 2-3 days period, write down one or two examples of dark patterns you experience using the Diary Study Template.
  2. Report your findings / Post a Reflection
    • Allow students to post their diary as a reflection to the class at the end of the assignment.
    • If you find anything interesting, feel free to add to our corpus here: Seen a pattern?

Materials Required