Why+Design+Thinking?

**Why Design Thinking?**
At this point you’re probably thinking, “Cool idea, but how will this help me meet the needs of my students? I have too much on my plate as it is!” We understand. However, the reality is our educational landscape is shifting. The responsibilities we face are, indeed, daunting; we must implement the Common Core standards, improve the problems solving abilities and 21st century skill sets (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, informational literacy, creativity, problems solving and more) of our students, and provide relevant, high quality learning opportunities. In addition, we are shifting from a teacher-centered, direct instruction model to one that is student-centered and inquiry-based. However, if we narrow our focus to instructional models that will include all of these shifts, we can make this transition easier. The design thinking process is one of these all-encompassing instructional models.

The Common Core standards and 21st century skills are the foundation on which the design thinking process is built. Each phase of the process is embedded with skills such as researching, making inferences, effective communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity (fig. 1). Design thinking can also be easily used as a structure for project-based learning. Whether it is interdisciplinary, multi-grade level, short-term or long-term, this model will accommodate any project. It also provides the versatility that teachers need; it can be used to differentiate learning opportunities, is flexible in its uses, it can be used at any grade level or content area and can be used in a day or over a much longer period of time (days, a week, a month, etc.). Design thinking also gives students a concrete process to move through when faced with a problem or challenge, sharpening their problem solving skills and fostering their innovative abilities. By using this process students become more creative and develop the confidence to tackle difficult problems. (Common Core and NETS-S correlations)

//Created and maintained by Steven Will//