Blending Design and Critical Thinking in Design Innovation Modules
Grant Name
Applied Learning and Innovation Grant (ALIGN)Abstract
This study aims to investigate students’ learning experiences and explore the affordances of blended learning in two design innovation modules to be piloted in AY2021 for Year 1 undergraduates across five programmes of different clusters in SIT.
As part of this research, the study will involve the intentional integration of critical thinking and communicating skills, in parallel with design thinking skills, such they are explicit and visible for students and tutors. This endeavour will fulfil SIT’s Undergraduate Programme Structure (UPS) efforts to equip students with not only discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities, but key transferable skills. Thus, the research aims to investigate the effects of using critical thinking and communicating skills as a means for deep thinking and reflection so that students can ultimately apply design thinking principles, tools and methodology to build interdisciplinary skills when fostering innovation that delivers customer-centric solutions.
Adopting a pragmatic approach, the mixed-methods study will use surveys, scenario-based reflections, online synchronous workshops/tutorials and content analysis of online forum discussions. Data gathered will be analysed using the Community of Inquiry based framework and literature-based template coding. The research will offer discussions on key factors in influencing student learning and enhancing student learning outcomes, immediately after the course, and student application of transferable skills in interdisciplinary work, beyond the course. Finally, as the research is contextualized in a blended learning environment, the study will also propose an enhanced instructional model of blended learning environment that can be adopted in other modules.
Click here to view the project closing report (For SIT Staff only)