Teacher design thinking: The design processes of expert school teachers

Summary form only given. Primary school teachers design learning experiences for their students in an increasingly complex environment. The aim of this study was to understand design thinking when teachers develop comprehensive teaching programs. Using methods from design studies, expert teacher participants designed programs based on the Australian Curriculum. Observations and interview data captured the design thinking of the participants. The study found that teachers´ design decisions first focus on learning outcomes, which, in the Australian curriculum context, are closely linked to content. The design process is iterative in which teachers refine a written program before and during implementation. Principles of quality teaching and technology integration do not seem to be articulated as explicit considerations, but are implicit in the way teachers discuss their designs. Consideration that other teachers may implement the program influences the design and the details included in the written program. While not familiar with visual representations of learning designs, teachers see their potential in communicating their programs. The findings of this study guide further research to advance understanding of teacher design thinking and approaches to capturing this in practice examples. This new understanding of teachers´ design processes is necessary if we are to enhance teacher preparation and continued professional learning.