Background: The problem statement, with regards to instilling SDG to our youths, is 'how might we elevate our youth's capability to deliver SDG?' This paper explores the use of STEAM (Yakman, 2008) and Design Thinking (IDEO) as an approach towards enabling youths on sustainability and acts as a baseline to designing key competencies for the study. The present study highlights a STEAM-DT workshop for Grade 11/12 students, which took place over 4-day. Results: With the STEAM-DT approach in the instructional design, it had provided the facilitators with a clear and structured frame in sowing the trans-disciplinary STEAM-DT to the learning. And at the same time, within the 4-day workshop, the students have attained accelerated learning and performance. Conclusion: STEAM education should be approached beyond a subject/disciplinary standpoint, and instead viewed as a means to develop life skills in learners. By integrating STEAM into the learning curriculum, learners are encouraged to think critically, comprehend complex issues, and create solutions.
Education plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our society, and as such, it is essential to explore how education can be effectively designed to prepare the youth for the challenges of the 21st century. It is widely acknowledged that education is not just about acquiring knowledge, but also about instilling values (Weyringer, Patry and Weinberger 2012) in the youth. There are many reasons why this is important. Firstly, values are an essential part of who we are as human beings. They help us make decisions and guide our actions. Secondly, values help us live happy and fulfilling lives. When we have strong values, we are more likely to make choices that lead to positive outcomes for ourselves and others. Finally, values play a crucial role in creating a just and peaceful world (UNESCO, Mobilising Youth Through Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development Education: An impact story from Senegal"). When people have shared values, they are more likely to cooperate with each other and work towards common goals.
With the intention to accelerate the impact of the students learning, the instructional design
for the curriculum employs project-based learning
This paper will then discuss the how to create a transdisciplinary of STEAM and DT. Finally, this paper will conclude with a discussion of the implications of the research findings for education policy and practice.
STEM education stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It focuses on teaching students in these four fields, which are crucial for modern-day innovation and advancement. Since the start of the 4th industrial revolution, educators are faced to better equip the youth for future of work (Bernard 2020). In preparing the future workforce, STEAM is gaining popularity over STEM education (Kang and Nam-Hwa 2019). STEAM education includes the arts, making it Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. The goal of STEAM education is to add the creative (Kuafman 2018) and critical thinking skills of the arts to the technical knowledge of STEM.
The idea of STEAM education originated from the realization that STEM education alone is not sufficient to prepare students for the demands of the modern workforce. Today's businesses and industries require employees who can think creatively, work collaboratively, and innovate (Hauser et al. 2006) to solve problems.
Integrating the arts into STEM education can help students develop these skills. The arts can
enhance STEM learning by providing students with opportunities to explore the creative and
design aspects of technology and engineering. Leonardo Da Vinci once said: “Study the science of
art. Study the art of science.”
In addressing the global challenges, it is important that the youth resonate with the SDGs and activate the necessary competencies. Understanding people responses of societal transformation (Hertwig and Ellerbrock 2022) such as their cognition, behaviors, values would likely enable the development of the right solutions for our world. In the 21st century competency (Allen 2013), it is desirable to induct the youth in applying the design thinking (Li and Zhan 2022) principles and methodology.
In summary, STEAM education builds on the foundation of STEM education by integrating arts and design thinking into the curriculum. It aims to produce a new generation of thinkers who can use both their technical and creative skills to solve real-world problems.
Typically, people look at STEAM from an academic subject. By adopting a broad and interdisciplinary approach, this study aims to uncover the ways in which these disciplines can work together to drive progress and create positive social change. This implied that STEAM was purposefully incorporated into the design thinking process.
natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence (International Association of Engineers 2021). In other words, science is a systematic organization of body of knowledge (The Science Council 2020).
or "craft", and logos, meaning "logic" or "reason. In other words, technology is an ascendancy of knowledge, skills, processes, and methodology (Cambridge
"cleverness" and ingeniare, meaning "to contrive, devise" (International
principles to design and build solutions (Wikimedia 2021).
imaginative activities, without including science (Wikimedia 2021). In other words, it is an ability to reach out to diverse cultures and experiences.
By broadening our understanding of STEAM beyond the traditional academic subjects, we can begin to see the ways in which these disciplines intersect and work together to shape our world.
Curriculum designers met to re-examine of the abovementioned STEAM definitions and its purposes, a deeper extraction of what are the competencies needed to deliver STEAM. Reviewing of publish journals and authors books have enabled the identification and defining the competency descriptors. The identified competencies include metacognition, inquiry thinking, computational thinking, design thinking, creative communication, and systems thinking, are all critical for effective STEAM education and leadership.
Metacognition refers to the ability to think about one's own thinking and learning processes, which is essential for students to reflect on their progress, identify areas of weakness, and develop strategies for improvement.
Inquiry thinking involves asking questions, investigating, and exploring topics in a systematic and critical way, which is necessary for scientific and technological advancement.
Computational thinking involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts, and using logical and algorithmic thinking to find solutions. This is becoming increasingly important as technology plays an ever-larger role in society.
Design thinking involves a human-centered approach to problem-solving, emphasizing empathy, creativity, and collaboration. It is essential for developing innovative solutions that meet the needs of diverse groups of people.
Creative communication involves using a variety of mediums, including visual arts, music, and language, to express ideas and concepts in engaging and meaningful ways. This is important for conveying complex scientific and technological concepts to non-experts.
Systems thinking involves understanding how different components of a system are interconnected and how changes in one part of the system can have far-reaching effects. This is crucial for addressing complex, real-world problems that require interdisciplinary solutions.
With the use of trans-disciplinary STEAM-DT approach (Figure 1), students attained the SDG knowledge, identified the SDGs that resonated with them, develop problem statement and solution within the 4-day workshop.
The United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals (TOHO Gas online) (Figure 2) that aim to promote sustainable development and create a better future for all. The SDGs are a comprehensive framework that addresses social, economic, and environmental factors, and emphasizes the importance of partnerships to achieve sustainable living.
The negative impacts of climate change and unsustainable development have been felt across the globe, and the urgency to act on the SDG agenda has become increasingly clear. Countries and corporations are taking steps to act on this agenda, but more needs to be done. The SDGs are critical for creating a sustainable future for our planet and its inhabitants. The SDGs cover a wide range of issues, including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, renewable energy, and climate action.
SDG mindfulness refers to the awareness and understanding of the SDGs and their impact on our lives and the world around us. It is essential to promote SDG mindfulness among individuals, organizations, and communities to achieve the SDGs' objectives. SDG mindfulness can lead to a shift in behaviour towards more sustainable practices and a more significant commitment to achieving the SDGs. Education plays a critical role in promoting SDG mindfulness and creating a generation of socially responsible and environmentally conscious citizens who will actively work towards achieving the SDGs.
Many of the problems we face today are dynamic, multifaceted, and inherently human, and as such, cannot be solved by simply addressing each issue one at a time. Instead, we need to look at the bigger picture and find ways to address multiple issues simultaneously while considering the human element.
Design thinking (DT) is a problem-solving approach that can help us achieve this goal by placing the human experience at the centre of the process. DT emphasizes empathy, collaboration, experimentation, and iteration, all of which can help us better understand and address complex problems.
The Real-Win-Worth It (R-W-W)
By using the R-W-W framework, we can ensure that our ideas are not only innovative but also viable and aligned with our overall goals and values. This can help us create solutions that are more effective, sustainable, and impactful.
Empathy is a crucial aspect of the Design Thinking (DT) process (Figure 4). By understanding and sharing the feelings and experiences of the user, designers can develop a deeper understanding of their needs, motivations, and pain points. This, in turn, enables them to create products or services that meet the users' needs effectively.
As mentioned, there are various approaches to conducting empathy research
Observing the user in their natural context involves watching them interact with their environment and the products or services they use. This approach can provide insights into how the user interacts with their surroundings, the challenges they face, and the solutions they use to overcome them.
Engaging with the user involves interacting with them directly through interviews, surveys, and other forms of communication. This approach can provide insights into the user's thoughts, feelings, and motivations, which can help designers understand their needs and preferences better.
Overall, empathy research is a crucial component of the DT process, and designers must employ multiple approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding of the user.
This is the first-time the program instructional design had incorporated STEAM and DT as an approach for Grade 11/12 students; an intended competencies were explicitly used to enable students’ learning and performance over a 4-day workshop. Figure 1 has showed the STEAM competencies used in enabling students’ application of STEAM model in conjunction with DT approaches. In Figure 5, it shows the hypothesis of applying the STEAM and DT competencies in the instructional design.
For example, when exploring the "Empathize" stage of the DT process, participants may have been encouraged to consider the scientific and technological aspects of their users' needs and experiences. When ideating potential solutions during the "Ideate" stage, participants may have been challenged to think creatively and use artistic skills to visualize their ideas. During the "Prototype" and "Test" stages, participants may have applied engineering and mathematics concepts to refine and improve their solutions.
With the STEAM-DT approach in the instructional design, it had provided the facilitators with a clear and structured frame in sowing the trans-disciplinary STEAM-DT to the learning. And at the same time, within the 4-day workshop, the students have attained accelerated learning and performance.
The use of a rubric (summative and formative assessments) can help to ensure that assessments are consistent and fair, and can also provide clear guidelines for students or participants to follow.
The Bloom's Taxonomy, which was first published in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues, is a framework for categorizing different levels of learning. It is often used as a basis for creating assessment rubrics, with different levels of understanding and skill being mapped onto specific categories within the taxonomy.
Assessment for learning refers to assessments that are designed to provide feedback to
students or participants, with the goal of helping them to improve their understanding or skills.
Assessment of learning
By using a standardized rubric that is based on Bloom's Taxonomy, you can help to ensure that both assessment for learning and assessment of learning are aligned with the goals of the workshop and the level of understanding or skill that is being targeted. Figure 6 shows the assessment rubric and Figure 7 shows the Industry Expert comments on the student’s project presentations.
The present study highlights a Design Thinking workshop for Grade 11/12 students, which took place over half-day Friday, three full Saturdays, and a half-day Tuesday, from 19th February 2021 to 9th March 2021. The workshop comprised 19 specially chosen participants from an international school, who attended lectures at a renowned university in Singapore. The lectures were delivered by professors from the Centre for Governance of Sustainability (CGS), who expounded on the why, what, and impact of SDGs on our lives. Dialogue sessions, held in English and Mandarin, were incorporated after each lecture, aimed at fostering a deeper understanding, particularly for the Mandarin speaking students.
Following the initial lectures, the subsequent three Saturdays were dedicated to the DT journey, utilizing a dynamic learning approach (Huang et al. 2020) supported by schoolteachers (Figure 8).
As mentioned earlier, the study also incorporated a standardized evaluation rubric, designed to
evaluate student performance week-to-week and project performance at the conclusion of the
workshop (Figure 9). Furthermore, the student's work was assessed by three external industry
experts, who provided qualitative comments
Overall, the study presents a well-structured and planned approach to examining the impact of Design Thinking on Grade 11/12 students. The incorporation of industry experts and the use of a standardized evaluation rubric enhances the validity of the findings. The present study contributes to the existing literature on Design Thinking, providing valuable insights into its application in a Grade 11/12 educational context.
At the end of a 4-day workshop, students were able to accelerate their learning and apply their knowledge effectively during the four-day workshop. The integration of STEAM competencies and DT can indeed bring about accelerated learning and impact to students' learning, as it provides a holistic approach to problem-solving and encourages creativity and innovation.
However, it is also important to consider the instructional design and delivery approach in the class to ensure that all students can benefit from the workshop. It is understandable that some students may find the process overwhelming, and adjustments may be needed to ensure that the learning environment is conducive to all learners.
Integrated STEAM and DT practices have become increasingly popular in education and industry in recent years. However, there are some limitations to these practices that should be considered: • Implementation Challenges: Integrating STEAM and DT practices requires significant collaboration and coordination among educators, administrators, and industry partners. This can be challenging to achieve, particularly in schools or organizations with limited resources and support. • Lack of Teacher Training: Many educators lack the necessary training and experience to effectively integrate STEAM and DT practices into their curricula. This can result in ineffective or incomplete implementation of these practices. • Standardization: The increasing emphasis on standardized testing and assessment can make it difficult to integrate STEAM and DT practices into existing curricula. This can limit opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and creative problem-solving. • Equity: The implementation of STEAM and DT practices may also be limited by issues of equity, particularly in terms of access to resources and opportunities. For example, schools in low-income areas may have less access to the technology and materials necessary to implement these practices effectively. • Assessment: The assessment of STEAM and DT practices can be challenging, particularly given their interdisciplinary nature. Traditional forms of assessment may not be well-suited to evaluating the complex skills and knowledge developed through these practices.
Overall, while integrated STEAM and DT practices offer many benefits, their implementation can be challenging and may require significant investment in resources and training. In addition, it is important to recognize and address potential limitations in order to ensure that these practices are accessible and effective for all learners.
As for the limitations of the research paper, it is true that the number of students was limited, and the scaffolding of the competencies used may differ from another trainer. Further studies can explore the design and use of STEAM competencies and its relationship to each of the DT processes in more detail, and on a larger scale to provide more comprehensive insights.
Finally, the dynamics of the learning and impact may indeed change if the workshop is conducted for a longer period or extended beyond the four-day duration. This may be worth exploring in future studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of the workshop on students' learning outcomes.
In conclusion, STEAM education should be approached beyond a subject/disciplinary standpoint, and instead viewed as a means to develop life skills in learners. By integrating STEAM into the learning curriculum, learners are encouraged to think critically, comprehend complex issues, and create solutions. Additionally, coupling STEAM with Design Thinking has shown potential in preparing learners for the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment of the future.
Ultimately, the goal of education should be to create sustainable development in learners, and STEAM education is an important tool to achieve this. As the saying goes, "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." By teaching learners the skills and competencies necessary to create solutions to real-world problems, we empower them to be agents of change in their communities and beyond.
The data sets are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
CGS: DT: MIT: R-W-W: SDG:
Centre for Governance and Sustainability Design Thinking Massachusetts Institute of Technology Real-Win-Worth It Sustainable Development Goals Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization [14] Degtjarjova, Irina & Lapiņa, Inga & Freidenfelds, Davis. (2018). Student as stakeholder: “voice of customer” in higher education quality development. pp.388-398. 10.21272/mmi.2018.230. [15] Dewey, J. (1938). Logic: The Theory of Inquiry. New York: Henry Holt and Company. [Accessed on: 10 January, 2023]. Available: https://www.scirp.org/(S(czeh2tfqw2orz553k1w0r45))/reference/referencespapers.aspx ?referenceid=1423937. [16] E. Britannica, “Art,” Encycl. Br., 2020. [17] eduTOPIA website. Metacognition: Nurturing Self-Awareness in the Classroom. [Accessed on: 10 January, 2023] Available: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-pathwaysmetacognition-in-classroom-marilyn-price-mitchell. [18] Green, S., Grant, A. M., & Rynsaardt, J. (2020). Evidence‐Based Life Coaching for Senior High School Students. Coaching Researched, pp.257–268. Available: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119656913.CH13. [19] Hargreaves, D. (ed) (2005) About Learning: Report of the Learning Working Group. London,
Demos. Available: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/23216. [20] Huang, Zhenya & Liu, Qi & Chen, Yuying & Wu, Le & Xiao, Keli & Chen, Enhong & Ma, Haiping & Hu, Guoping. (2020). Learning or Forgetting? A Dynamic Approach for Tracking the Knowledge Proficiency of Students. ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS). 38. pp.1-33. 10.1145/3379507. [21] Hauser, John & Tellis, Gerard & Griffin, Abbie. (2006). Research on Innovation: A Review and
Agenda for Marketing Science. Marketing Science. 25. 10.1287/mksc.1050.0144. [22] IDEO Design Thinking, Design Thinking Defined, [Accessed on 19 October, 2022]. Available: https://designthinking.ideo.com. [23] IDEO, What is design thinking?, Available at: https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/what-is-design-thinking [Accessed: 21-Dec2022]. [24] J. Allen, "Skills for the 21st century: Implications Dutch education," Higher Education: Recent
Trends, Emerging Issues and Future Outlook. pp.1-40, 2013. [25] J. Biggs, “The role of metacognition in enhancing learning,” Aust. J. Educ., vol. 32, no. 2, pp.127–138, 1988. [26] K.-F. T. Lam, T.-H. Wang, Y.-S. Vun, and N. Ku, “Using DDMT Teaching Model to Cultivate Critical Thinking in a STEAM Classroom,” in International Congress on Education and Technology in Sciences, 2019. pp.47–57, 2019. [27] Kang, Nam-Hwa. (2019). A review of the effect of integrated STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education in South Korea. Asia-Pacific Science Education. 5. 10.1186/s41029-019-0034-y. [28] Kaufman J. Creativity as a Stepping Stone toward a Brighter Future. J Intell. 2018 Apr 4;6(2):21. doi: 10.3390/jintelligence6020021. PMID: 31162448; PMCID: PMC6480761. [29] Leifer, L., & Steinert, M. (2011). Dancing with ambiguity: Causality behavior, design thinking, and triple-Loop Learning. Information Knowledge Systems Management, 10, pp.151–173.
Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/IKS-2012-0191. [30] Li, T.; Zhan, Z. A Systematic Review on Design Thinking Integrated Learning in K-12
Education. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 8077. https://doi.org/10.3390/ app12168077 [31] Loh, L., Thomas, T., & Wang, Y. (2017). Sustainability Reporting and Firm Value: Evidence from Singapore-Listed Companies. Sustainability, 9, 2112R., Center, S., & Basilan, B. (2017). Facilitation Techniques towards Enhancing K- 12 English Language Proficiency of Different High Schools: Basis for Intervention Program. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences. [32] M Bernard, Information-Enterprise Tech, 'We need STEAM, Not STEM Education, To Prepare Our Kids for 4th Industrial Revolution", Forbes. [Online]. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/01/15/we-need-steam-not-stemeducation-to-prepare-our-kids-for-the-4th-industrial-revolution/?sh=373e550e55fb.