Design Thinking in Public Education: Fostering Teaching as Creative Practice

• In Event: Advances in Arts Education Research

Abstract

This paper presents findings of a Pan-Canadian research that propose design thinking as a process that fosters creative teaching. Made popular by makerspaces and consultancy firms, design thinking can redefine itself in public schools, while promoting them as sites for creativity and innovation. We share three case studies that examine design thinking in schools. The first explores its use in English Language Arts curriculum on both the curricular and instructional levels. The second case study focuses on teachers’ experiences with it in various subjects and school levels. The third case study engages teachers in autoethnographic and a/r/tographic reflective-reflexive practices through design thinking. A comparative analysis across the three research sites is done to generate patterns and draw conclusions.

Authors

• Layal Shuman, McGill University

• Sean P. Wiebe, University of Prince Edward Island

• Peter J. Gouzouasis, The University of British Columbia

• Mindy Roberta Carter, McGill University

• Kendra MacLaren, University of Prince Edward Island

• Mitchell McLarnon, McGill University