What is Design Thinking?
The notion of design and design approaches have expanded during the 20th century to include more than only objects and structures. Currently, its core values extend beyond the aesthetics and are concentrated on consumer problem solving techniques that are comprehended by a broader audience (Lieberman, 2022). CEO of IDEO a design firm, Tim Brown created 5 steps in his 'Design Thinking Process Guide' published in his 2009 book "Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organisations and Inspires Innovation."
The 5 phases are empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test (IDEO, 2012).
(How to Use Design Thinking in the UX Design Process by The Startup, 2020)
What is SketchUp?
SketchUp is a software where users are able to build and create 3D models. With SketchUp's easy to navigate website/application both professionals and amateurs are able to create architectural, interior and product designs and these are just some of the many uses of SketchUp.
How SketchUp can be used in the Classroom to Foster Creativity
Some ways that SketchUp can be used in the classroom to foster creativity is by allowing students to design both individual and collaborative projects. SketchUp allows more than one user to edit and work on the same project, this helps children with strengthening their team working skills and encourage creativity by combining and sharing ideas with one another. Creating 3D printing designs which allows students to create their own designs which can then be printed into a 3D item. Ultimately, educators can assist children in developing important design and inventive problem-solving abilities by encouraging them to utilise SketchUp for a variety of projects.
3D house designed using SketchUp CC by Sarah Bensaidi
Pedagogical Issues
There are many benefits of using SketchUp in classrooms as stated above, however being an activity which requires the use of technology there may be some pedagogical issues to consider:
Accessibility: the tools and technology needed for SketchUp may not be accessible to all students. Teachers should think about how to give all students access to the programme or how to give those without it other resources.
Time: as beneficial as SketchUp is, it becomes very time consuming when creating detailed 3D images.
Ages: due to the technicalities of using SketchUp it may be suitable to only being used by older students who already have a basis on technological use. Age and skill of the students should be taken into consideration by the teacher before deciding before using SketchUp in their class.
References
IDEO (2012). Design Thinking for Educators (2nd ed.). https://www.ideo.com/post/design-thinking-for-educators
Lieberman, R. (2022, March 30). How to use design thinking in the UX design process. Medium. https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-use-design-thinking-in-the-ux-design-process-e33c4f11a6be
Hi Sarah,
I really enjoyed reading about your blog on Design Thinking, it was incredibly easy to follow along as you explained what it was before going into technologies and the use of them in the classroom. I'd really like to look into the 5 stages of the design thinking process some more.
SketchUp looks like an incredibly useful tool to use in a classroom. I particularly liked how you explained what the program does before explaining how it can be used in class. I also liked how you looked at a few possible issues that it may have too, it provided a lot of insight into the technology.
Overall, Keep up the good work.
- Jordan