Experienced Languages and English International Teacher, Suzzanne Pautler shares 5 takes on how to enact design-thinking to bring learning to life. Take 1) Because of design thinking, my students read, wrote, and spoke with a purpose. Title: Student Choice and Voice. Students focused on actual problems or issues they witnessed in their daily lives at school and at home. In their process to problem-solve, they researched online, interviewed others, created prototypes, and delivered a pitch to an audience. They were able to express themselves, listen to others, and seek feedback prior to presenting a solution. Suddenly, their reading, writing, and speaking had a real purpose. Take 2) Because of design thinking, my students were active readers and writers. Title: Active Engagement. Students directed their own learning by shifting their literacy from content consumption to content creation. Their creative collaboration as they problem-solved made the learning process relevant which resulted in high levels of student engagement. Take 3) Because of design thinking, my students deepened their connection with the text. Title: Empathy. Students read various texts about other teenagers (locally and globally) who are designing solutions for problems in their communities. My students then built empathy maps from the perspective of those facing the issues. This process allowed them to move from surface-level reading comprehension to deep, analytical thinking, interpretation, and inference. Take 4) Because of design thinking, my students’ writing was problem solving. Title: Experimentation. Students were involved in a process of trying out different creative formats to see what worked best for the group. The cycle of iteration and feedback allowed students to frame their drafts as prototypes to be tested, not as finished products to be graded. They tested their ideas through the writing of outlines, story maps, pitches, summaries, and explanations which removed the pressure to be perfect, but supported and encouraged the students to play and experiment. Each student could contribute his or her own strengths to the process. Take 5) Because of design thinking, my students connected with the real world and with each other. Title: Authenticity. Students connected with authentic global issues through their literacy work, but they didn’t do it alone. Students collaborated purposefully with one another in an effort to research real community issues, interview stakeholders, problem-solve, and communicate their solutions through websites, presentations, posters, devices, and models.Instead of a one-size-fits-all model, students discovered and developed their best literacy skills.
