Build learning engagement in your school through design thinking

Register for the Design2Innovate professional learning course for middle leaders and classroom teachers.

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If you'd like to learn how to drive change in your school or classroom, the Design2Innovate: introduction to design thinking course can help.

The course will be delivered in each region over 3 separate days, in terms 3 and 4, 2022. In the course, you will learn how to use design thinking to improve teaching and learning programs, classroom practice, and leadership practice.

The department developed the course in partnership with teachers, the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, and international design-thinking experts.

Design2Innovate is particularly beneficial for teachers interested in exploring more collaborative styles of teaching.

Teachers passionate about inspiring change in their schools found the course rewarding, with a previous participant noting, 'I really appreciate the warmth, transparency and support in preparing me for this new phase of teaching methodology that will be fused into our school program.'

Introduction to design thinking

Design thinking is a problem-solving strategy that helps us to move away from developed patterns of thinking and open up new ways of seeing and solving problems. It is based on an empathetic understanding of the real-world problems people face.

Victoria's tech schools have embraced design thinking as a core methodology in their approach. In the classroom, this approach generates student agency, engagement with learning, and development of new skills.

A Year 12 maths methods teacher who applied the lessons from Design2Innovate in the classroom said it had noticeable benefits.

'Who would have thought that sharing feelings could help students come together to encourage each other to have a go at maths in Year 12,' they said.

'Student confidence is higher, the class feels like a community, students are asking more questions, more homework is being completed and students are happy to have a go.'

Learning outcomes

The course will give you the skills, knowledge and mindset of design thinking.

You will learn about:

  • design thinking, its phases and operation, and its application in practice
  • how to integrate design thinking into classroom practice
  • how design thinking may be implemented more broadly in your school.

Course structure

Design2Innovate is delivered as a mix of face-to-face learning and online support, by various tech schools across Victoria.

In the course, you will produce a project, lesson or unit of work for the classroom using design thinking.

As part of the collaborative course approach, you will implement this in your classroom and showcase it to other course participants for their feedback.

Teachers have found the facilitators practical and engaging, with one teacher saying:

'All facilitators were incredible and brought great expertise and a realistic approach to the program with an understanding of the challenges teachers face in schools'.

Course details

Starting dates for term 3 and 4:

The course is free for all Victorian government schools. Schools are reimbursed for casual relief teacher costs through the Schools Targeted Funding Portal.

Apply for the course

The course is designed for classroom teachers and middle leaders from a school, such as lead teacher, subject coordinator or those involved in curriculum change.

To register for the course, refer to the Design2Innovate Channel on Arc.

Find out more

For further enquiries about each event, contact the relevant tech school.

For all other enquiries, contact Blanca Camacho, senior project officer, Tech Schools and Digital Learning Branch:

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