Design Thinking and Project-Based Learning in STEM

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Involving five phases—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—it is most useful as a way for defining problems.

Used in schools, it is a framework which can help to empower students with the 'soft' skills needed to empathize with and understand human needs, to brainstorm possible solutions, and construct mockups of prototypes.

Project-Based Learning(PBL) aims to teach specific skills and content in the context of a meaningful, real-world project. PBL projects are framed by a driving question, with specific learning goals, defined student deliverables, voice and choice, project management, critique and revision, public exhibition, and reflection.