Teacher to UX Career: The Ultimate RoundUp of Advice
A curated list of resources by teachers transitioning into UX careers
Updated: January 2024
“I have a background in education and am looking to transition into UX. Do you have any advice for me?”
This is a question that I get asked frequently. I thought it could be helpful to roundup the perspectives of others coming from education. To pull an excerpt from my own article (see below):
“To be a classroom teacher is an honor, privilege, and great responsibility. It is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs out there. We should see many more ‘Designer to Teacher’ headlines. At the same time, I know sometimes teachers are ready to play a different role on the education team or mix it up and refresh altogether. [After teaching], I wanted to pursue the work done behind EdTech products that so heavily influenced my own classroom.”
For those making the leap, look below and you will see that you are not alone. My hope is that this roundup serves others who are processing and working through a career change. Additionally, perhaps employers would also be interested in seeing a case for the value of having former educators on their UX teams.
The team at UX of EdTech will update this post periodically to include new resources and perspectives. Did we miss one? Please post in the comments and we may include it in the next update.
Articles
- Teacher to UX Designer: A Roadmap — This one is by yours truly and could be a helpful starting place.
- Why Every Effective Teacher is also a UX Designer by Jules Bennett — He unpacks transferable skills that an effective teacher practices on a weekly, if not daily, basis (but in terms and jargon that is familiar to a UX Designer). He was also featured on the UX of EdTech podcast.
- UX Design and K-12 Classroom Teaching: 4 Similarities by Andrea McKinley — The author looks at the parallels after transitioning from a 10+ year career in science education.
- Taking the plunge: From teaching to UX Research by Narisra Srinaganand — The author talks about her transition from teaching to UX (via Psychology).
- Why do teachers make great UX Researchers? By Narisra Srinaganand — The author reflects on transferable skills she has used in her UXR role.
- 3 Things I’ve Learned about ‘Breaking In’ to EdTech by Sarah Mondestin — This UX Writer advocates for the place of educators in EdTech product roles.
- The case for hiring a former teacher as your next UX researcher by Tammy Meloy — The author unpacks transferable skills that she sees relevant.
- Your EdTech product’s UX team should include former educators. Here’s why. By Jesse Bruce and Natty Smith — The authors work at an EdTech agency and unpack several reasons to include former educators.
- From Teacher to UX Designer: Part One by Carolyn Foley Pollack — At the time of publishing, the author had quit teaching 6 months prior and was 8 weeks into General Assembly’s UX Design Immersive Program.
- From Teacher to UX Designer Part Two: My Experience at General Assembly by Carolyn Foley Pollack — The author discusses the program the day after she graduates.
- UX in Education: Why UX Designers are the Learning Engineers of the Future by Sean Oakes — Though not particularly aimed at career transitioners, the author leads an EdTech agency and unpacks how a background in education can be transformative in product design for this industry.
- 7 Ways Teachers Make Great UXers by Megan Creighton — The author unpacks the transferable skills she has observed across the two fields.
- Teaching and UX Design: More Alike than You’d Think by Savanna Williams — The author describes how teachers use the design thinking process.
- Teachers are formidable UXers, it’s no wonder they are starting to notice by Elisabeth Barrett — Written from the perspective of a UX designer and computer science teacher.
- Design Like a Teacher by Aimee Gonzalez-Cameron — An interesting case study woven around the theme of how to teach.
- Different is better than better by Kristina Wang — The author unpacks her journey from working as an elementary teacher to a product designer.
- Teachers are Experience Designers by Jasmine Rosen — The author identifies three ways teachers are similar to product designers.
- Democratizing research: lessons from a preschool teacher by Sara Lerner — The author discusses how teaching preschool and scaling research have a lot in common.
- Bringing Your Perspective to UX Work by Polina Lulu — The author interviews several UXers with a variety of backgrounds, including a former 4th grade teacher.
- Why Tech Needs More Teachers by Christopher Schutt
- How UX Writing Stole My Heart: An Educator’s Journey by Zennebe Arnold
- Unleashing the creative potential in us all by Stephanie Lance
- From Teaching to Tech: Navigating a Career Change (or two!) by Meighan Agosta
- From teacher to user researcher: why teaching experience is relevant work experience by Drew Long — The author reflects on previous experience as a teacher, social science researcher, and coordinator.
- Transitioning Teacher? 4 reasons to consider UX design by Ashley Rose Williams — This teacher turns down a former dream job offer to pursue UX.
- Teachers are UX designers in a classroom by Chloe Seo — How an early childhood teacher turned teaching experience into product design.
- UX research, UX design, or UX writing? by Emily Shi
Podcasts and Videos
- Elementary Teacher to UX Designer: HCI Masters & Facebook Internship Reviews with Morgan Chin (UX of EdTech Podcast)
- Special Education Teacher to UX Designer with John Lewis (UX of EdTech Podcast)
- Why Every UX Team Should Have a Teacher with Jules Bennett (UX of EdTech Podcast)
- Biology Teacher to UX Designer with Alice Barton (UX of EdTech Podcast)
- Brittni Fisher’s Story (Teacher Career Coach Podcast) — UX Researcher at Shutterstock, former special education teacher and visual arts teacher
- Morgan Chin’s Story — Product designer at Meta, former elementary school teacher
- Transferable Skills
- Kenton L. Simon’s Story
- Teacher to UX and Product Panel (Webinar — UX of EdTech)
Interested in finding UX job opportunities at education and EdTech companies? Follow our UX of EdTech LinkedIn page.
Did we miss a resource? Please post in the comments and we may include it in the next update.
