Teachers' Challenges in Learning and Implementing Design Thinking in a MOOC

• In Event: 67.068 - MTCC Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: 67.068-4 - Examining the Impact of Digital Learning Environments on Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

Design thinking (DT) is a process that enables students to understand and practice addressing complex, ill-structured tasks (Levy & Murnane, 2013). However, DT is challenging to teach (Dym et al., 2005, p. 104). Hence, researchers need a robust understanding of how educators learn and teach the DT process to prepare them more effectively. This paper considers a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) that provided instruction in DT to address the following questions: What challenges did our participants face as DT learners? How did the challenges they identified change when they became DT teachers? Based on our results, we will highlight implications for research and for professional development (PD) providers and teacher educators, as well as outline areas for future work.

Authors

• Corinne Glenwerks, Tufts University

• Joshua Littenberg-Tobias, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Alyssa Napier, Harvard University

• Elizabeth Huttner-Loan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Justin Fire Reich, Massachusetts Institute of Technology