Design thinking is a way of approaching problems  developing solutions that are more human-centered and effective. Increasingly we see that both social and business problems require students to develop their skills in thinking like a designer if they want to be ready for the changing world of work. 

For students, design thinking engages them in solving real-world, relevant problems. It draws on their strengths and encourages them to take healthy risks, while building their ability to collaborate in developing positive solutions. Design thinking activities are inherently engaging for most young people and the focus on customers (or users) teaches them to develop deep empathy skills. 

Here are some additional resources you may want to explore:

• 21st Century Learning: A Design-Thinking Approach for College and Career Readiness

• Build 21st Century Skills with Design Thinking

• Destination, Imagination and the Fires Within: Design Thinking in a Middle School Classroom--scroll through this report to see how students engaged with the design thinking process and began developing key skills in empathy and visualization.