Lesson 11: Design Thinking

Mathematical investigation is an open-ended teaching strategy that capitalizes on the students' ability to identify a problem. Any word problem can be transformed into a mathematical investigation by limiting the given information and omitting the specific question that it is asking.

Objective

Execute the empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test stages of the design thinking process

In tro du ctio n

Students find learning mathematics most engaging when they are involved in a thinking process that results in an output that can be applied to a relevant context. The design thinking process engages the students in such a thought-provoking and purposeful activity.

Design thinking is a progressive teaching strategy that allows students to look for real-world problems and finding creative solutions. Students do this by focusing on the needs of others, collaborating for possible solutions, and prototyping and testing their creations. This can be summarized in five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. These stages are adapted from the Institute of Design at Stanford University.

Think

Design Thinking Framework (Institute of Design at Stanford, 2016)

The goal of design thinking is for students to respond to a particular need (a real-world problem), so it is fitting that the first stage is empathy. In this stage, the teacher needs to be explicit in guiding the students to put themselves in the shoes of others through activities like immersed observation and interviews. According to the developmental stages, it is not natural for children in the primary grades to be empathetic toward others. It is a common observation by teachers that students at these levels often do not realize that their actions affect others. So, applying design thinking in the classroom gives the children the opportunity to cultivate empathy, and at the same time, develop their problem-solving skills.

D e fin e

The next stage is for the students to define the specific problem or issue that they want to address. First, the students will identify an audience—the future users of the product they will develop. Their audience can be students, teachers, family members, or just anyone in their community. Then the students will use the information they gathered from the Empathize stage and focus on one aspect of the problem. It is important that the students be able to identify a true problem because it is impossible to successfully complete the design thinking process without a meaningful problem to solve.

Ideate

The third stage of design thinking is the generation of ideas to solve the identified problem. This involves brainstorming and research. The students are to be encouraged to think out of the box and produce radical ideas. What sets this stage apart from the usual brainstorming is that all ideas must be written or illustrated. Ideas are usually written or drawn on sticky notes and students, later on, organize them into a mind map.

It is at this stage that the students will be able to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills. Aside from being able to operate their problem-solving skills, they will also be able to apply specific content knowledge like measurement, proportion, geometry, and statistics.

Prototype and test

Finally, the students go through a repetitive cycle of prototyping and testing. A prototype is anything that a user can interact with in order to, later on, provide feedback about it. It can be made of easily accessible materials like paper, cardboard,

s ~ : « . :apes, recycled plastics, and so on. Once a prototype is created, they test it or a le * a user to test it and then make improvements, or possibly overhaul the design, sec-ending on their observations and the feedback of the user. In these stages, it is - : : 'tant to emphasize that it is totally fine to fail at the first attempt of prototyping. trial- and-error aspect of the design thinking process is glorified because it is x e. ed that the students learn a lot through their failures. Even though a physical : : r ^c t is the expected output of design thinking, it should be emphasized that ; : ' g through the process is what is more important because it is where the learning tr <es place.

Experience

Below is a template of a sample worksheet that will guide the students : "trough the design thinking process. This is a simplified version of Stanford's sample *eTiplate. In this example, the students are to create a project about their playtime experience.

■our challenge is to redesign your school’s playtime experience.

E m p ath ize

Observe your classmates and teachers during playtime. Take time to casually interview some of them about their usual playtime experience.

Notes from your observation: r

Notes from your interview:

k __

i

Discuss your observation and interview notes with your groupmates. Do you have similar notes?

Identify a user and define a problem that you want to address. Your group must come up with one user and problem to address.

needs

because

user

user's needs

insight

Ideate

Write/Sketch at least four innovative ways to address your user's needs. Be specific with your measurements and/or proportions, if needed.

Idea 1: Idea 2:

mm ■■ • |

v Jv )r sr \

Idea 3: Idea 4:

lillllli iiiiii

Share your ideas with your groupmates. Get feedback. As a group, generate a unified solution that incorporates the ideas and feedback from the members. It is not necessary that all ideas will be seen in the unified solution. What is important is that all members agree that the necessary ideas are integrated in the solution. Sketch your group's unified solution below.

Prototype

Create a prototype of your unified solution. Use readily available materials like papers, cardboards, coloring materials, sticky tapes, popsicle sticks, etc. Be accurate with your measurements by using a ruler, compass, and/or measuring tape.

Test

Share your prototype with a user. Write your observations below.

What worked:

v y ~

What can be improved: More ideas:

A

-A*.

This lesson introduced design thinking as a thought-provoking and purposeful strategy. Elaborate why you think design thinking was described as such.

C h a lle n g e

Many teachers are not informed about design thinking because it is a new, if not the newest, strategy in teaching mathematics. The following activity will challenge you to convince a teacher about the benefits of using this strategy.

1. Make an infographic about design thinking for the teachers who have not yet heard about it. Sketch a draft of your infographic below.

2. Share your infographic to a Grade 4, 5, or 6 mathematics teacher. What are the teacher's questions or comments about design thinking? Were you able to answer his/her questions? Do you share the same sentiments with him/her about design thinking?

Harness

The design thinking process is best learned when done. Go over the steps yourself with a partner. Empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test to redesign your school's lunch experience. This activity will be part of the learning portfolio which you will compile at the end of this module.

Your challenge is to redesign your school's lunch experience.

Empathize

Observe your classmates, teachers, and canteen managers during lunchtime. Take time to casually interview some of them about their usual lunch experience.

Notesfromyourobservation: Notes from your interview:

- A ,

Discuss your observation and interview notes with your partner. Do you have similar notes?