Reflecting over Design Thinking learning

‘Creative pedagogy’ had fascinated me by its name when I had looked at the syllabus of STEAM. Definitely, I, being curious and enthusiastic, I had waited for the content of this subject. One of the topics ‘Design Thinking’ was completely new to me. Looking back to my learning experience of Design thinking, I have a traumatic experience.

I always thought myself as one of the good learners but this lesson hurt my ego as I could not grasp the very core ideas of Design Thinking in the first and second class. Madam had made us engage in the activities, un/luckily I was selected for peer discussion, and simply I gave the illusion as If I had understood well but I had not.

I even conducted a zoom meeting with friends to have further discussion about the topic. It was our first informal meeting where many of us joined and had discussed in Design Thinking in my initiation. The meeting gave some ideas but there were still confusions.

Madam had given 15 days due for doing assignment. I thought for more than 10 days but could not start writing. I downloaded some papers and studied, watched youtube videos and learnt about Design Thinking. I got the core ideas and learnt theoretical aspects of every steps of Design Thinking but I could not apply it in my lesson plan.

It was the stage, I could give lecture, I could explain other people about design thinking but practically, I could not apply in the lesson plan. I called one of my friend of STEAM education and asked for ideas. He was simply trying to explain the concept, I told him that I could teach but I could not prepare a lesson plan. I asked him to suggest me a topic; he simply could tell me that I could prepare a lesson from Social issues.

While learning about Design Thinking, I came to know that it is a problem solving method. The lesson must have a problem if we apply Design Thinking. At last, I could select a very simple topic of using dustbin and prepared a lesson plan from class four.

Reflecting back to Design Thinking, It was completely a new concept for me. It made me think more than a week, conduct zoom meeting with friends, read several articles and watch some youtube videos. Somehow, I developed the concept and I have drawn some conclusion about it from my experience.

Firstly, I realized that design Thinking is not a universal absolute tool to apply in every lesson rather it can be used in those lesson which raises the issues of problems and learners can solve the problems applying innovative ideas going through different stages.

Secondly, I must confess, I could not prepare a lesson plan from my own subject: Language and literature rather I shifted to Environment science to prepare a lesson plan. Here, the question arises, ‘Am I a failure with Design Thinking practice?’ I don’t agree because I can explain theoretically well and I have understood the core concept too, but I am not in favor of applying Design Thinking forcefully in every lesson of language, Grammar and literature!

Thirdly, I wonder, isn't it possible for Mam to model our one class as a Design Thinking Practically? Why should we study Design Thinking here too only theoritically just as in conventional pedagogy?

Thirdly, my conclusion is that either Design Thinking cannot be applied everywhere naturally and spontaneously or still I have not understood it well. If Madam teaches me and still I fail to prepare a single lesson plan from a course which I have been teaching for more than 24 years, who is a failure? If still I cannot prepare a lesson plan from my own subject, despite my keen interest, who is to blame?  Myself, Madam or design thinking itself?