Fostering Cross-disciplinary Student Innovation and Community Engagement through Design Thinking

Overview

The seminar will discuss the use of Design Thinking, focusing on the Coolthink@JC programme that the school's junior secondary students are participating in, the senior secondary core subject 'Innovative Design and Development', and related extension projects (such as a 3D virtual game exploring the Sham Shui Po community). The seminar will cover how these different programs and courses help students analyse, solve problems, and put their plans into practice. Additionally, the seminar will explain how to apply Design Thinking in courses and activities, allowing students not just to learn the relevant theories, but to truly put them into practice.　

Coolthink@JC: Students go through 4 steps – To play, To think, To code, and To reflect. They personally try out various programs/applications, experience the problem-solving process, and master the creation and improvement of solutions.

'Innovative Design and Development' Elective Subject: Every year, there is a 'Design Thinking Day' where students learn design thinking and then use various methods to solve pain points / difficulties in life, the community, or organisations. The seminar is not limited to concept diagrams / presentations, but can also involve students creating different physical 'prototypes' (such as 3D models or handmade items) to further experiment, test, and demonstrate their feasibility.

Extension Project (e.g., 3D Virtual Game Exploring the Sham Shui Po Community): Students use their own experiences and skills to create a 3D virtual game that recreates the various aspects of community life, combining interactive gameplay to allow other students to absorb information in a way that goes beyond textbooks.　

Participants of this seminar will understand:
1. the application of Design Thinking and Maker practices in curriculum;
2. the interactivity between student problem-solving and community engagement; and
3. cross-curricular programme implementation (game-based learning)