Design Thinking

Grade 8’s using Design Thinking in Game Design

Grade 7’s using the Design Thinking process in a Geographic Inquiry.

Grade 7’s using the Design Thinking process in school space re-design.

I tell my kids, I would never ask you to do an activity I myself have never done. In the summer of 2015, I was lucky to experience year two of my Master Degree stream in “Design Thinking for Innovation” run by Dr. Robert Kelly. During this course, I learned the theories and research behind Design Thinking as a process for investigative inquiry and ultimately as a process for positive change. Through hands on learning, I learned possibilities are endless, collaboration isn’t always easy but always worth the effort and as an Educator I have the capability to question, research and problem solve improved ways of doing.

Design Challenge #1: Elephant Sculpture. In a group, using only cardboard, newspaper, tape and string, create a model of an elephant. You are not allowed straight lines & it must be to scale. *Learning outcome: How do we work collaboratively to achieve a common goal? How do we put ego aside and work together? This was a great example of an outcome based task with the final product known. This task I learned a lot about putting the ego aside and focusing on a common group goal.

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Implementing the same collaborative challenge in a Grade 7 homeroom. Goats!

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Grade 8’s. Elephants! *Bonus if you can make a moving part. This was a great beginning of the school year, team building collaborative challenge.

Grade 8 Airplane Rapid Challenge. What paper material is better? Which design goes farther? *The middle designs won! For other ideas check out The K12 Lab Wiki

Airplane rapid testing