The Suggestion of Design Thinking Process and its Feasibility Study for Fostering Group Creativity of Elementary-Secondary School Students in Science Education

Abstract

In this study, we suggested the design thinking process that was possible to be introduced in science education and also examined the validity of the process in terms of group creativity. To do this, the design thinking process applicable to science education was selected from a variety of design thinking processes developed abroad, and then the process was modified and supplemented. We created the education program based on the developed design thinking process and applied it to high school students. The results revealed that we could offer the design thinking process through the five stages: 'understanding knowledge', 'empathy', 'sharing perspective', 'generating idea', and 'prototype'. With the results of the application of the program, we could confirm the relationship building and information seeking attributes in the understanding knowledge stage and the user-orientation, relationship building, and interpersonal understanding attributes in the empathy stage. We could also find the organization of the team attribute in the sharing perspective stage and the analytical · strategic thinking attributes in the generating idea stage. Finally, the communication and analytical · strategic thinking attributes in the prototype stage were confirmed. All of the key attributes of the group creativity found from skilled professionals were not confirmed from the students. However, we could ascertain the possibilities that the students should experience the process of group creativity and learn the relevant values through the developed design thinking process.

Empathy as an Element of Promoting the Manifestation of Group Creativity and Survey on Empathic Ability of Korean Elementary School Students

“…For example, a study extracting the core capacities of people that are proficient in design thinking and introducing design thinking in science education has been undertaken . In addition, a study examining the effect after developing design thinking process suitable to the science education conditions of Korea and applying such process in the secondary school science classes has been undertaken (Lee et al, 2015). The design thinking process here has been developed into five phases of 'understanding knowledge', 'empathy', 'sharing perspective', 'generating idea', and 'prototype' by considering the characteristics of students and the science education situations of Korea, and the developed process appeared to be helpful for secondary school students to experience the group creativity process and understand its value (Lee et al, 2015).…”

“…Accordingly, empathy is emphasized in design thinking, and in the design thinking process proposed by IDEO(IDEO, 2011) and Hasso Plattner Institute (Konno, 2015), an observation phase, in which the activity of understanding and empathizing the demands of others is performed, is included. In the design thinking process developed by Korea's Lee et al(2015), a phase which has the name of 'empathy' provides an opportunity to understand each other and form a positive relationship through affective communion between members of a group, in addition to understanding the demands of others, is included. As a result of applying the design thinking process of emphasizing the empathy phase to high school students of Korea, it appeared that the mutual understanding and trust formed between members at the empathy phase became a driving force for students to solve a problem to the end (Lee et al, 2015).…”

“…In the design thinking process developed by Korea's Lee et al(2015), a phase which has the name of 'empathy' provides an opportunity to understand each other and form a positive relationship through affective communion between members of a group, in addition to understanding the demands of others, is included. As a result of applying the design thinking process of emphasizing the empathy phase to high school students of Korea, it appeared that the mutual understanding and trust formed between members at the empathy phase became a driving force for students to solve a problem to the end (Lee et al, 2015). Thus, students could adequately adjust the conflicts that appeared in the process of experiencing design thinking, and it was mentioned that the activities of listening attentively to each other, accepting each other, and supporting each other, between members, were engaged in more easily (Lee et al, 2015).…”

“…As a result of applying the design thinking process of emphasizing the empathy phase to high school students of Korea, it appeared that the mutual understanding and trust formed between members at the empathy phase became a driving force for students to solve a problem to the end (Lee et al, 2015). Thus, students could adequately adjust the conflicts that appeared in the process of experiencing design thinking, and it was mentioned that the activities of listening attentively to each other, accepting each other, and supporting each other, between members, were engaged in more easily (Lee et al, 2015). A study measuring the group creativity index undertaken by an MIT research team explained that empathic ability needed when speaking in even terms without one person dominating over the other was connected to the manifestation of group creativity (Jeon, 2013).…”