Design thinking and Computational thinking

This week marks the beginning of my journey in the Design and Digital Technologies course and it is clear that I have a lot to learn. Over the past week we were taught how to make a word cloud and asked to put in it words we felt related to the topic (you can see mine in the previous post).  I used a variety of words and phrases to describe this topic area but two stood out for me, these were, design thinking and computational thinking.

I was interested to learn that the Curriculum outlines two separate areas under the Design and Digital Technologies subject which are taught to students from Foundation level through to Year 10.  These are Design and Technologies and Digital Technologies.  So what is the difference you may ask.  The difference is that Design Technologies has a focus on developing technologies for society.  Here students are asked to relate their learning back to four main strands which are engineering principles and systems, food and fibre production, food specialisations and materials and technology specialisations (ACARA, n.d.).  The curriculum highlights that students "will have the opportunity to create designed solutions addressing these technologies contexts" (ACARA, n.d.).  This area therefore gives the students an opportunity to use 'design thinking' which refers to "applying the methodologies and approaches of design to a broader set of issues and problems in business and society" (Design Think Movie, 2012).  This means students do not only have a vision that is created, but will be able to consider all aspects in their planning and design including sustainability and ethics.

Digital Technologies on the other hand has a focus on 'computational thinking.'  This is broken down into two strands which are digital systems and representation of data (ACARA, n.d.).  Although both areas require an element of design, one is focused heavily on Information and Computing Technology (ICT) and the use of digital systems and the other is a more creative approach to technology encompassing a wide range of areas not solely ICT.  I am not quite sure yet as to how the two areas can be taught hand in hand but I am sure my learning in this course will educate me and make me feel prepared to be able to teach in these two areas.

Both areas seem fundamental learning's in today's society where both innovators in design technology and ICT are of high demand with the ever changing and growing societal expectations.  Therefore I feel that their place within the Curriculum is crucial to assist the learners and innovators of the future.