The unpredictable future challenges not only our educational systems, but also teachers and students within. How could we equip students for the skills that does not yet exist? How could we prepare them for the increasingly complex issues like disappearing of jobs and other global issues? Learning to be adaptable and innovative seems to be the way out.
SoInno Design Education builds on the current curriculum while carving out space for your students to contemplate the current affairs and learn the essential skills to thrive in society. With us, you will nurture students to become innovative in both thinking and doing.
What is SoInno Design Education?
We would like to invite schools and educators to work with us to infuse social innovation and design thinking into secondary school education. The programme encourages a holistic understanding of various academic disciplines by engaging students in thinking and making activities. Students will find solutions to real-world problems and generate innovative ideas to create a better future. By the end of the programme, you can expect your students to have improved their reflective learning skill, enhanced their self-discipline and motivation to learn. The cross-disciplinary nature of our programme also helps your students to rethink the knowledge they have acquired in the classroom. We aim to help you nurture your students to become more sensitive and responsible citizens.
Active interpretation
Autonomous learning
Curiosity
Visual literacy
Empathy
Multiple perspectives
Creative confidence
3 Modular Course Introduction
Design Playing
Experience the design process through games; Acquire knowledge through active exploration and problem solving.
Design Thinking
Understand complex social issues with a people-oriented approach and systematic thinking process. Collect first-hand data and organise information by visualisation. Learn to ideate innovative solutions.
Design Making
This part is all about learning-by-making, students will learn to
evaluate and develop their ideas by making and testing prototypesv. This part also enables students to present their views on the issues and consolidate their learning.
Desgin Playing
Experience the design process through games; Acquire knowledge through active exploration and problem solving.
Design Thinking
Experience the design process through Understand complex social issues with a people-oriented approach and systematic thinking process. Collect first-hand data and organise information by visualisation. Learn to ideate innovative solutions.
Design Making
This part is all about learning-by-making, students will learn to
evaluate and develop their ideas by making and testing prototypesv. This part also enables students to present their views on the issues and consolidate their learning.
3 Learning Modes of SoInno Design Education
Design Playing
Learning outcomes
- Encourage students to finish tasks for specfic goals
- The ability to explore multiple solutions for problem.
- Learning by experimenting through trial and error
Activities
- Collaborative design game
- Role-playing
- Design making challenge
Design Thinking
Learning outcomes
- Understand the contexts of the topics/social issues with multiple perspectives
- Able to process information with visual-analytical skill
Activities
- Field research
- Stakeholder dialogues
- Visual analysis
- Observation
- Empathy exercises
- Brainstorming
- Ideation
Design Making
Learning outcomes
- Empower students to generate their thoughts and become doers
- Reflect on the learning process and outcomes
Activities
- Rapid prototype design
- Concept consolidation
- 3D model building
Design Playing
Learning outcomes
- Encourage students to finish tasks for specfic goals
- The ability to explore multiple solutions for problem.
- Learning by experimenting through trial and error
Activities
- Collaborative design game
- Role-playing
- Design making challenge
Design Thinking
Learning outcomes
- Understand the contexts of the topics/social issues with multiple perspectives
- Able to process information with visual-analytical skill
Activities
- Field research
- Stakeholder dialogues
- Visual analysis
- Observation
- Empathy exercises
- Brainstorming
- Ideation
Design Making
Learning outcomes
- Empower students to generate their thoughts and become doers
- Reflect on the learning process and outcomes
Activities
- Rapid prototype design
- Concept consolidation
- 3D model building
DO ground
Students could use our makerspace, DO ground, in the Jockey Club Innovation Tower at PolyU. The space is designated for the SoInno Design Education programme, and has all the essential equipment including laser-cutting and 3D printing machines etc.
Feedback from participants
Principal Chu Pui Lui
Principal of St. Antonius Girls' College
Design thinking can enhance students’ creativity. By encouraging them to have multiple ways of thinking, students can observe the society in multiple perspectives and explore different possible solutions for social problems.
Mr Ching Wai Kuen
Liberal Studies teacher at HKMA David Li Kwok Po College
Design thinking can facilitate students establishing systemic thinking approach to organize their daily experiences. Therefore, they can be equipped to understand and apply abstract academic concepts.
Ms Mandy Lee
Liberal Studies teacher at China Holiness College
Learning series of visual thinking tools can help students to deal with questions in Liberal Studies. For instance, their skills in analyzing causes and impacts of a phenomenon, doing comparison and giving suggestions could be enhanced.
Yu Pik Kuen
Secondary 4 student at China Holiness College
Teachers manage everything in a normal lesson. In this workshop, I am able to take a leading role and utilize my imagination to turn innovative ideas into reality.
Leung Wang Wai
Secondary 5 student at Lingnan Dr. Chung Wing Kwong Memorial Secondary School
At first we designed various versions of the solutions. After rounds of experiments, we concluded the findings and found out the most suitable solution. This real case also enriched our knowledge of theories like mechanics.
