What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It Important?
Source: Review of Educational Research 82(3), p. 330-348, September 2012.
Design thinking is generally defined as an analytic and creative process that engages a person in opportunities to experiment, create and prototype models, gather feedback, and redesign.
The literature has identified several characteristics that a good design thinker should possess.
The authors’ overarching purpose is to identify the features and characteristics of design thinking and discuss its importance in promoting students’ problem-solving skills in the 21st century.
Therefore, the main goal of this article is to summarize and synthesize the research on design thinking to (a) better understand its characteristics and processes, as well as the differences between novice and expert design thinkers, and
(b) apply the findings from the literature regarding the application of design thinking to the educational system.