Close Menu
Edu Expertise Hub
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Wednesday, June 25
    • About us
    • Contact
    • Submit Coupon
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Edu Expertise Hub
    • Home
    • Udemy Coupons
    • Best Online Courses and Software Tools
      • Business & Investment
      • Computers & Internet
      • eBusiness and eMarketing
    • Reviews
    • Jobs
    • Latest News
    • Blog
    • Videos
    Edu Expertise Hub
    Home » Latest News » Design thinking in the 21st century is an imperative
    Latest News

    Design thinking in the 21st century is an imperative

    TeamBy TeamJanuary 22, 2025No Comments5 Mins Read0 Views
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Telegram Tumblr Email
    Incorporating design thinking into classrooms is not just an educational trend, but a transformative shift educators need to make.
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email


    Key points:

    Love it or hate it, many teachers have seen just how much technology has changed the landscape of education. Within this rapidly changing landscape, teachers have taken on a role much different from how we have historically been viewed. We are no longer keepers and passers of knowledge as we once were. Instead, technology has allowed students to have almost instant access to different types of information, tools, and more in today’s day and age.

    With infinite information at their fingertips, how do we equip this new type of student with the skills to interpret, problem solve, and think critically about the information they encounter when we are not always the ones delivering it to them? The answer is not necessarily a new one, but it is a concept that needs more attention from educators in our modern-day classrooms: Design thinking.

    What is design thinking?

    The idea of design thinking has been around since the 1960s (Dam & Teo, 2022) but has continued to change in both name and shape over the last 60 years. At its core, design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving that encourages empathy, innovation, and creativity within students for the purpose of solving real-world problems. We should not simply view it as a tool for teachers to use, but as a necessity to prepare students for the complexities of the 21st century.

    The basic steps of design thinking are empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test (Interaction Design Foundation, 2016). The goal is for students to lead with empathy to identify and define a problem, then develop a realistic solution to that problem that can be tested and refined through feedback. This process pushes students to engage with skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, empathy, and problem-solving. These skills are extremely important for successful functioning for both the workplace and daily life in the 21st century.

    Impacts

    Design thinking is imperative because of the 21st century skills it teaches to students and asks them to practice, and it also can provide many additional positive impacts for students as well. The use of design thinking can foster a healthy relationship with failure within students. Research by Dorland (2023) shows that “design thinking training may enable students to embrace, rather than struggle with failure in their work.” By pushing students to continue to look for ways to enhance their work through feedback, the idea of failure is framed in a positive way.

    Design thinking also has a positive impact on the overall motivation and engagement of students. Daniel (2016) found that in an entrepreneurship classroom setting, design thinking creates an atmosphere favorable to learning, with students playing an active role in gaining experience from their activities. Arguably the most straightforward benefit, design thinking supports overall academic performance by developing critical thinking, teamwork skills, social awareness, and negotiating meaning (Carroll et al, 2010, as cited in Noel & Liu, 2016).

    How do I use design thinking?

    Design thinking is flexible enough to be used within various levels and contents. So how do we use it in our classrooms? For starters, small steps are important. Looking for individual lessons or activities that could be changed to fit a design thinking or “problem solving” perspective are the best places to start. For example, in my 7th grade geography classroom we complete a “Local Issues” project at the beginning of the year using Google Earth. This is a standalone design thinking assignment where students are tasked to learn about or discover a need or issue within our local community by talking with family, friends, or other adults. They need to accurately define the problem, come up with solutions for it, display their solution using Google Earth, and share their presentation with a local leader or adult in the community. After finding one or two lessons to utilize design thinking, the next step should be to create large projects at scale or look for whole units that could be changed to a design thinking structure.

    Incorporating design thinking into classrooms is not just an educational trend, but a transformative shift that we, as educators, need to make to best align with today’s learners. It is certainly not without challenges such as time constraints or lack of resources, but the outcome is worth the effort. By promoting empathy, creativity, and critical thinking in our classrooms through design thinking, we prepare and send our students into an ever-changing world with the confidence to navigate it and grow into leaders of tomorrow. I would highly encourage any teacher looking to revamp their curriculum and classroom in an engaging and relevant way to start looking at ways to implement design thinking.

    References

    Dam, R. F. and Teo, Y. S. (2022, May 20). The History of Design Thinking. Interaction Design Foundation – IxDF. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/design-thinking-get-a-quick-overview-of-the-history

    Daniel, A. D. (2016). Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset by using a design thinking approach in entrepreneurship education. Industry and Higher Education, 30(3), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422216653195

    Dorland, A. M. (2023). Failing to learn: Design thinking and the development of a failure-positive mindset in the university classroom. Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.22329/celt.v14i1.7155

    Interaction Design Foundation – IxDF. (2016, May 25). What is Design Thinking (DT)?. Interaction Design Foundation – IxDF. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/design-thinking

    Noel, L., & Liu, T. L. (2016). Using Design Thinking to create a new education paradigm for elementary level children for higher student engagement and success. Proceedings of DRS, 2. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2016.200

    Gabriel Eisenbacher, Minnewaska Area Schools

    Gabriel Eisenbacher is a 7th grade social studies teacher at Minnewaska Area Schools and is a current Master’s of Education graduate student at Concordia St-Paul University.

    Latest posts by eSchool Media Contributors (see all)



    This post is exclusively published on eduexpertisehub.com

    Source link

    21st Century classrooms Day Design design thinking Education educators IT Skills student
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Team

      Related Posts

      Why I Left the Classroom to Build a School Black Children Deserve

      June 25, 2025

      You’re using ChatGPT? A true story about why AI literacy starts with us

      June 25, 2025

      Zopa Bank launches current account earlier than expected

      June 24, 2025

      10 Overused LinkedIn Buzzwords (And What To Say Instead)

      June 24, 2025

      Can the Most Populous State Pull Off Universal Pre-K?

      June 24, 2025

      Dr. Mahnaz CharaniaChief Transformation Officer, The New Teacher Project

      June 23, 2025
      Courses and Software Tools

      Extreme Privacy: What It Takes to Disappear

      August 24, 202452 Views

      Modern C++ Programming Cookbook: Master Modern C++ with comprehensive solutions for C++23 and all previous standards

      September 18, 202427 Views

      Meebook E-Reader M7 | 6.8′ Eink Carta Screen | 300PPI Smart Light | Android 11 | Ouad Core Processor | Out Speaker | Support Google Play Store | 3GB+32GB Storage | Micro-SD Slot | Gray

      August 19, 202422 Views

      HR from the Outside In: Six Competencies for the Future of Human Resources

      May 20, 202517 Views

      Coders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming

      April 19, 202516 Views
      Reviews

      Professional Scrum with User Experience PSU I Practice Exams | Udemy Coupons 2025

      June 25, 2025

      Why I Left the Classroom to Build a School Black Children Deserve

      June 25, 2025

      Locum Physician (MD/DO) – Orthopedic Surgery in Salina, KS

      June 25, 2025

      5 Job Interview Secrets To Beat The Competition

      June 25, 2025

      Cyber Security Careers That Will Be IN DEMAND in 2025!

      June 25, 2025
      Stay In Touch
      • Facebook
      • YouTube
      • TikTok
      • WhatsApp
      • Twitter
      • Instagram
      Latest News

      Why I Left the Classroom to Build a School Black Children Deserve

      June 25, 2025

      You’re using ChatGPT? A true story about why AI literacy starts with us

      June 25, 2025

      Zopa Bank launches current account earlier than expected

      June 24, 2025

      Can the Most Populous State Pull Off Universal Pre-K?

      June 24, 2025

      Dr. Mahnaz CharaniaChief Transformation Officer, The New Teacher Project

      June 23, 2025
      Latest Videos

      Cyber Security Careers That Will Be IN DEMAND in 2025!

      June 25, 2025

      These MISTAKES will ruin your ETHICAL HACKING CAREER.

      June 24, 2025

      Elevate your business career with a Master of Applied Finance

      June 23, 2025

      5 Career Options for Digital Marketing Students

      June 22, 2025

      F1 2021 Career Mode – Not a bad move on a 4x WDC #formula1 #automobile #f1game #foryou #gaming

      June 20, 2025
      Latest Jobs

      Locum Physician (MD/DO) – Orthopedic Surgery in Salina, KS

      June 25, 2025

      Senior Cloud Product Lead

      June 25, 2025

      Commercial Portfolio Manager

      June 25, 2025

      Senior Product Designer, Amazon Health

      June 25, 2025

      Bartender (Part Time)

      June 25, 2025
      Legal
      • Home
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Disclaimer
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer
      Latest Udemy Coupons

      Mastering Maxon Cinema 4D 2024: Complete Tutorial Series | Udemy Coupons 2025

      August 22, 202435 Views

      Advanced Program in Human Resources Management | Udemy Coupons 2025

      April 5, 202530 Views

      Diploma in Aviation, Airlines, Air Transportation & Airports | Udemy Coupons 2025

      March 21, 202530 Views

      Python Development & Data Science: Variables and Data Types | Udemy Coupons 2025

      May 24, 202521 Views

      Time Management and Timeboxing in Business, Projects, Agile | Udemy Coupons 2025

      April 2, 202521 Views
      Blog

      5 Job Interview Secrets To Beat The Competition

      June 25, 2025

      10 Overused LinkedIn Buzzwords (And What To Say Instead)

      June 24, 2025

      How To Manage Your Career Goals Successfully

      June 20, 2025

      5 Mistakes That Are Killing Your LinkedIn Profile

      June 18, 2025

      How To Write A Cover Letter That Stands Out To Recruiters

      June 17, 2025
      Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Dribbble
      © 2025 All rights reserved!

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
      .
      SettingsAccept
      Privacy & Cookies Policy

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
      Non-necessary
      Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
      SAVE & ACCEPT