2 Using technology for design thinking

In design thinking activities for classroom environments, digital technologies can help both pupils and teachers carry out actions at different stages of the design thinking process.

Some technologies can speed up design thinking processes and help achieve tangible outputs. Creating and distributing an online form to users to understand needs and feelings at the ‘empathise’ stage of design thinking is a good example of this. In this case, the application that helps create the online form speeds up the process by enabling design thinking activity to reach several members at once, irrespective of temporal and spatial barriers.

This section introduces you to a number of popular design thinking models then focuses on the Exten(DT)² Digital Design Thinking Model, which has been designed to help teachers prepare and teach design thinking to students. You will also cover how emerging technologies can assist both teachers and students at different stages of design thinking activity.