This is an email update about the development of the D-TIPS Toolbox sent on May 5th, 2020. If you want to receive these updates, subscribe to our mailing list here.
Greetings, Design Thinkers!
Hope you’re all doing well! We’re here to give an update on the development of the D-TIPS toolbox.
If you were an early subscriber and need something to jog your memory, D-TIPS – Design Thinking In Primary Schools – is a project that aims to equip primary school teachers with the appropriate tools and methods to convey the design thinking approach to primary education.
We're delighted that you're interested in the development of the toolbox and we hope we can use this opportunity to shift social distancing to distant socialising (at least for a while)!
Adapting to change
Even though our work on the toolbox continues, this period did not go without drawbacks. During March, we were planning on having an in-person meeting with all the project partners in Brussels, Belgium. And of course, that quickly changed with the situation of COVID-19.
A good in-person talk about the toolbox turned into a lot of staying at home, and the dream of delicious Belgian waffles was replaced with more work on our plates. Of course, we managed to make it work and had several half-day meetings instead! Here are some of the things we were able to discuss:
Results of the research paper (thanks to those who participated!)
Ways to make the toolbox more convenient.
Initial sketch of the toolbox.
Possibilities of training material.
Incorporation of future thinking.
And some more...
With your help – everything is possible!
We have the result of the survey on our website, and we invite you to check them out. If you were one of the teachers who participated, we are so thankful! The insights have helped us a lot, and it was so beautiful to find out that there are so many of you continually trying out and searching for new ways to teach! Keep it up!
The opinion of teachers is essential to us. Right from the start, we all agreed that our number one priority is to make the toolbox and the educational material meet the teachers’ needs. We want to create something that enhances the teaching and learning process without wasting your time.
Time for a test drive
As for now, our original plan was to start the first sets of pilots. At first, we thought that to do this right now could be impossible. Then we thought harder and realised that we can’t call ourselves advocates for design thinking if we can’t at least try to design our way out of this, right?
If you cannot resist the urge to be the first one to try it out and you would be willing to test what we’re working on in your virtual classrooms or by other creative (and safe!) ways possible, let us know!