Toward Designing Learning Environments for the 21st Century Through Design Thinking

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Teacher Development/Professional Development Posters

Abstract

Drawing on a Design-Based Research approach, this qualitative study explored the impact of a Maker Day Professional Development event on understandings of secondary school teachers’ about design thinking. Design thinking, as a human-centered approach encourages us to identify complex problems and offer solutions through prototyping. It can be integrated to the curriculum to reconceptualise 21st century’s education. Data was collected through pre- and post-event surveys and interviews. Findings suggest the Maker Day influenced participants’ understandings of design thinking in different ways. Also, findings demonstrated some key elements of a design thinking that were missing or misunderstood. This study generated contextual recommendations for the decision makers, researchers, and educators to be tested and validated in other contexts.

Authors

• Serveh Naghshbandi, The University of British Columbia - Okanagan

• Susan E. Crichton, The University of British Columbia