Who they become is as important as what they know. We must teach students to become agents for change so they can bring design thinking to causes they care about. Who they become is as important as what they know. We must teach students to become agents for change so they can bring design thinking to causes they care about.

Abstract

Traditionally, design education focuses on what students know and which skills they acquire. This preparation launches them into
predictable roles in well-defined fields. The catch is that such stability is no longer present in today’s economy.

As custodians of our disciplines, we are more likely to teach software and history and aesthetics, while neglecting the struggle with
identity and values that is inevitable during the formative years of young adulthood. To prepare students for a fast-changing global
economy, schools must help students learn about themselves, understand their world, and feel empowered to identify and tackle social problems in innovative ways.