Design Thinking in the Adolescent Curriculum

Design Thinking embraces challenges, and re-frames problems into opportunities for positive change. Design thinking is interdisciplinary and can be applied to a myriad of situations. There are multiple models of Design Thinking but one of the more popular ones has come out of the d.school at Stanford University (Costa, 2017). This thesis uses Qualitative data which has been collected through multiple research projects. Through exploratory means, I will evaluate the data that is presented in the research studies already conducted to help understand the issue of Design Thinking within education, as it stands today. I will be looking for similarities in findings through the different studies, as well as working to create an educated hypothesis to help propose future data collection and form a curriculum which supports design thinking as a learning aid. Design Thinking can be compared to the scientific method, however it is tailored to the design field and interdisciplinary practices. It is a methodology which helps designers identify the correct problem, ideate creative solutions and prototype and test these new ideas. This system can be learned and adapted by educators into their curriculums to help reach the 21st century student, and prepare them for the jobs of the future. Inter-disciplinary design and group collaboration has become essential in large companies and successful businesses. Which is why in a rapidly changing world it is important to fluidly remodel our approach to education. This thesis proposes that by teaching the Design Thinking framework in a "designerly" manner young students will more likely become well rounded human centered innovators. And more importantly, go on to work collaboratively with positive global change in mind. Teaching this framework to an age group that is rapidly cognitively developing (adolescence) it may help with their problem solving and problem framing abilities. Adolescence is a developmental phase when the brain is changing the way a person thinks and relates to themselves in direct correlation to their environment and their peers. According to brain research and MRI studies, the frontal cortex and amygdala both responsible for decision making and emotional responses are developing at a very fast rate during adolescence. For this reason, there is inherent justification for teaching effective and creative problem solving in a time when they are forming their decision making skills and are most at risk for problem behaviors. Through making courses available that encourage innovation and surveying student responses to Design Thinking and how it impacts their decision making, we can begin to understand the positive change. A few studies on this subject have already been done, however more research is needed to evaluate how design thinking can be applied across the curriculum, and a rigorous inquiry into how we think and why design can help. I will explore the existing research studies that have been conducted around the topic of how Design Thinking can affect the learner. The purpose is to propose the positive impact that teaching design problem solving to adolescents can have. In the studies presented there has been quantitative data that exhibits positive growth and development as a result of students being involved with creative thinking processes. Through using control groups and surveying student responses to Design Thinking and how it impacts their decision making, we can begin to understand the whether or not there are legitimate correlations.