ADST: Design Thinking/Human Centered Design Thinking

I think Design Thinking and a human centered-approach is a vital mindset to instill in our students. A traditional education approach is to complete closed tasks or to make it from point A to B as quick as possible. Students are often trained to recite information and think of content in a right vs. wrong approach. However, the design thinking approach teaches students that learning and creating is a cyclical process that requires modification, collaboration and time to solve a problem. I resonate with Sandra Averill's statement that "testing, feedback and mistakes are a vital part of this process and should be welcome as we learn best from feedback and working through our mistakes" (Averill, 2023).

I am inspired by the idea of a human centered approach within design thinking where students begin with a real life problem to solve which gives an opportunity for students to develop empathy for people who have different experiences than them. By bringing a human aspect into their design process, students have a more meaningful motivation to find a solution for the task at hand.

I appreciate the cross-curricular task that students at King Middle School embarked on to create a device that generates electricity. They were equipped with practical knowledge of applicable technology, understanding of the science at play, and a deeper empathy and connection with the real world social issue surrounding the use of renewable resources in the world. I would be curious to see how a similar, but developmentally appropriate task could be implemented in an elementary school.

My three takeaways about design thinking and human centered design thinking are:

1. Educators can create meaningful and motivating tasks by connecting them to real world issues.

2. Classroom environments should be a place where the design process is integrated into various curriculum areas with a focus on collaboration and learning from one's mistakes.

3. Students are capable of more than they think they are when scaffolded with the right tools and information. 


References:

Adst Design Thinking K-9. (2023). Vimeo. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://vimeo.com/400420774.

PBS NewsHour. (2013). Maine School Engages Kids with Problem-Solving Challenges. YouTube. Retrieved April 15, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i17F-b5GG94.

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