Effects of Design Thinking on Learners’ Motivation at Higher Education Level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17041128Abstract
Abstract Views: 621
This study aimed to examine the effects of design thinking on learners’ motivation, with respect to their effective engagement and problem-solving capability. A pre-designed questionnaire having pre-selected constructs and items was used to collect data from the targeted learners currently enrolled in the institutes offering educational programs in Karachi to measure the selected variables. The findings revealed the impact of design thinking on learners’ motivation towards learning to be insignificant. Similarly, the indirect impact of design thinking on learners’ motivation, with the mediating role of effective engagement and problem-solving capability of learners, was also found to be insignificant. However, the impact of design thinking on the effective engagement and problem-solving capability of the learners was found to be significant. The study recommends awareness sessions for pre-service teachers to integrate design thinking in their teaching methods. It also recommends integrated curricula and workshops, and training sessions organisation to foster a growth mindset of future teachers for integrating the design thinking into their teaching methods. It also recommends that teachers use project-based learning in their classrooms to engage their students in real-world projects that require design thinking.
Keywords:
Design thinking, Effective engagement, Higher education level, Learners’ motivation, Problem-solving capabilityReferences
Ahmady, S., & Shahbazi, S. (2020). Impact of social problem-solving training on critical thinking and decision making of nursing learners. BMC nursing, 19(1), 94. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00487-x
Al-Amriyah, A. Y. A. (2018). The effectiveness of 3d-virtual reality learning environment on the omani eighth grade students achievement and motivation towards physic learning. Sultan Qaboos University (Oman).
Altay, B., & Porter, N. (2021). Educating the mindful design practitioner. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 41, 100842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100842
Alvarado, L. F. (2025, March). Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 10, p. 1462938). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1462938
Amabile, T. M. (1997). Entrepreneurial creativity through motivational synergy. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 31(1), 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2162-6057.1997.tb00778.x
Amabile, T. M., & Pillemer, J. (2012). Perspectives on the social psychology of creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 46(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.001
Anderson, N. (2012). Design thinking: Employing an effective multidisciplinary pedagogical framework to foster creativity and innovation in rural and remote education. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 22(2), 43-52.
Baer, M., Oldham, G. R., & Cummings, A. (2003). Rewarding creativity: when does it really matter?. The Leadership Quarterly, 14(4-5), 569-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1048-9843(03)00052-3
Beeftink, F., Van Eerde, W., Rutte, C. G., & Bertrand, J. W. M. (2012). Being successful in a creative profession: The role of innovative cognitive style, self-regulation, and self-efficacy. Journal of Business and Psychology, 27(1), 71-81.
Blizzard, J., Klotz, L., Potvin, G., Hazari, Z., Cribbs, J., & Godwin, A. (2015). Using survey questions to identify and learn more about those who exhibit design thinking traits. Design Studies, 38, 92-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2015.02.002
Brown, T. (2008). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84.
Brown, T. (2009). How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation. In Library of Congress.
Brown, T., & Katz, B. (2011). Change by design. Journal of product innovation management, 28(3), 381-383
Carlgren, L., Rauth, I., & Elmquist, M. (2016). Framing design thinking: The concept in idea and enactment. Creativity and Innovation Management, 25(1), 38-57. https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.12153
Chang, H. P., Chen, C. C., Guo, G. J., Cheng, Y. J., Lin, C. Y., & Jen, T. H. (2011). The development of a competence scale for learning science: Inquiry and communication. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 9, 1213-1233.
Collins, H. (2013). Can design thinking still add value?. Design Management Review, 24(2), 35-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/drev.10239
Conradty, C., & Bogner, F. X. (2022). Measuring students’ school motivation. Education Sciences, 12(6), 378. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060378
Davis, J. P. (2022). Embracing risk and productive failure. In How to Become an Entrepreneurial Teacher (pp. 13-22). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30715-2_20
Do, H. N., Do, B. N., & Nguyen, M. H. (2023). 3How do constructivism learning environments generate better motivation and learning strategies? The Design Science Approach. Heliyon, 9(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22862
Dosi, C., Rosati, F., & Vignoli, M. (2018). Measuring design thinking mindset. In DS 92: Proceedings of the DESIGN 2018 15th International Design Conference (pp. 1991-2002). https://doi.org/10.21278/idc.2018.0493
Efeoglu, A., Møller, C., Sérié, M., & Boer, H. (2013). Design thinking: characteristics and promises. In Proceedings 14th International CINet Conference on Business Development and Co-creation (pp. 241-256). Continuous Innovation Network.
Fischer, H. E., Boone, W. J., & Neumann, K. (2023). Quantitative research designs and approaches. In Handbook of Research on Science Education (pp. 28-59). Routledge.
Flores, M. A. (2017). The complexities and challenges of be (com) ing a teacher and a teacher educator. European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(1), 2-5. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2017.1280238
Gasparini, A. (2015, February). Perspective and use of empathy in design thinking. In ACHI, the eight international conference on advances in computer-human interactions (pp. 49-54).
Goethe, E. V., & Colina, C. M. (2018). Taking advantage of diversity within the classroom. Journal of Chemical Education, 95(2), 189-192. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00510
Grau, S. L., & Rockett, T. (2022). Creating student-centered experiences: Using design thinking to create student engagement. The Journal of Entrepreneurship, 31(2_suppl), S135-S159. https://doi.org/10.1177/09713557221107443
Grots, A., & Creuznacher, I. (2016). Design Thinking: Process or culture? A method for organizational change. Design Thinking for Innovation: Research and Practice, 183-191. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26100-3_13
Hair Jr, J. F., Howard, M. C., & Nitzl, C. (2020). Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis. Journal of Business Research, 109, 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.069
Haqati, M., & Karsheki, H. (2014). Constructing and validating the questionnaire of students' perception of social constructivist learning environment. Educational Measurement and Evaluation Studies, 5(11), 118-91.
Hart, S. R., Stewart, K., & Jimerson, S. R. (2011). The student engagement in schools questionnaire (SESQ) and the teacher engagement report form-new (TERF-N): Examining the preliminary evidence. Contemporary School Psychology: Formerly" The California School Psychologist", 15(1), 67-79. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340964
Hashim, A. M., Aris, S. R. S., & Chan, Y. F. (2019). Promoting empathy using design thinking in project-based learning and as a classroom culture. Asian Journal of University Education, 15(3), 14-23.
Henriksen, D., Richardson, C., & Mehta, R. (2017). Design thinking: A creative approach to educational problems of practice. Thinking skills and Creativity, 26, 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.10.001
Hillen, M. A., Gutheil, C. M., Strout, T. D., Smets, E. M., & Han, P. K. (2017). Tolerance of uncertainty: Conceptual analysis, integrative model, and implications for healthcare. Social Science & Medicine, 180, 62-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.03.024
Howard, Z., & Davis, K. (2011). From solving puzzles to designing solutions: Integrating design thinking into evidence-based practice. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 6(4), 15-21.
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607-610. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308
Ladachart, L., Ladachart, L., Phothong, W., & Suaklay, N. (2021, March). Validation of a design thinking mindset questionnaire with Thai elementary teachers. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1835, No. 1, p. 012088). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1835/1/012088
Lee, J. H., Ostwald, M. J., & Gu, N. (2020). Design thinking: creativity, collaboration and culture (Vol. 12). Cham: Springer.
Liu, W., Li, X., Zeng, N., Ayyub, M., Xiong, S., Tao, K., & Peng, Q. (2017). Examining Associations among Motivation, Physical Activity and Health in Chinese College Students: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective. JTRM in Kinesiology.
Lugmayr, A., Stockleben, B., Zou, Y., Anzenhofer, S., & Jalonen, M. (2014). Applying “design thinking” in the context of media management education. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 71(1), 119-157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-013-1361-8
Malm, B. (2020). On the complexities of educating student teachers: Teacher educators’ views on contemporary challenges to their profession. Journal of Education for Teaching, 46(3), 351-364. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2020.1739514
Medina, J. B., Buan, A. T., Mendoza, J. V. D., & Liwanag, G. P. (2019, October). Development of Mathematics Collaborative Problem-Solving Skills Scale. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1340, No. 1, p. 012058). IOP Publishing.
Nguyen, T. D., Shih, M. H., Srivastava, D., Tirthapura, S., & Xu, B. (2021). Stratified random sampling from streaming and stored data. Distributed and Parallel Databases, 39, 665-710. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10619-020-07315-w
Ochoa-Pachas, J. (2021). Descriptive studies are quantitative and can carry hypotheses. Academia Letters, 2760.
Ohly, S. (2018). Promoting creativity at work–implications for scientific creativity. European Review, 26(S1), S91-S99.
Panke, S. (2019). Design thinking in education: Perspectives, opportunities and challenges. Open Education Studies, 1(1), 281-306.
https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2019-0022
Pohan, A. M., Asmin, A., & Menanti, A. (2020). The effect of problem-based learning and learning motivation of Mathematical problem-solving skills of class 5 learners at SDN 0407 Mondang. Budapest International Research and Critics in Linguistics and Education (BirLE) Journal, 3(1), 531-539. https://doi.org/10.33258/birle.v3i1.850
Quebec Fuentes, S., & Bloom, M. (2017). Reframing a problem: Identifying the sources of conflict in a teacher education course. Educational Action Research, 25(5), 687-703. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2016.1235503
Qureshi, M. A., Khaskheli, A., Qureshi, J. A., Raza, S. A., & Yousufi, S. Q. (2023). Factors affecting learners’ learning performance through collaborative learning and engagement. Interactive Learning Environment, 31(4), 2371-2391. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1884886
Rajabalee, B. Y., Santally, M. I., & Rennie, F. (2020). A study of the relationship between learners’ engagement and their academic performances in an eLearning environment. E-learning and Digital Media, 17(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753019882567
Razzouk, R., & Shute, V. (2012). What is design thinking and why is it important? Review of educational research, 82(3), 330-348. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654312457429
Saro, N., Muhiddin, N. I., Anwar, N. S., Karim, N. A., & Hisham, N. A. B. (2025). The Impact of Design Thinking on Student Engagement and Team Dynamics in Higher Education. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(2), 1464-1468.
Schultz, J. L., Wilson, J. R., & Hess, K. C. (2010). Team-based classroom pedagogy reframed: The student perspective. American Journal of Business Education, 3(7), 17-24.
Schweitzer, J., Groeger, L., & Sobel, L. (2016). The design thinking mindset: An assessment of what we know and what we see in practice. Journal of Design, Business & Society, 2(1), 71-94. https://doi.org/10.1386/dbs.2.1.71_1
Shanthi, B., Ravichandran, C., Manimegalai, V., Parashar, A. K., & BS, H. (2025). Critical Thinking in Higher Education Through Innovative Strategies: Out-of-the-Box Thinking. In Global Practices in Inclusive Education Curriculum and Policy (pp. 365-398). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-4058-5.ch015
Strout, T. D., Hillen, M., Gutheil, C., Anderson, E., Hutchinson, R., Ward, H., ... & Han, P. K. (2018). Tolerance of uncertainty: A systematic review of health and healthcare-related outcomes. Patient education and counseling, 101(9), 1518-1537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2018.03.030
Sursock, A., Smidt, H., & Davies, H. (2010). Trends 2010: A decade of change in European Higher Education (Vol. 1). Brussels: European University Association.
Tsai, C. A., Song, M. Y. W., Lo, Y. F., & Lo, C. C. (2023). Design thinking with constructivist learning increases the learning motivation and wicked problem-solving capability—Empirical research in Taiwan. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 50, 101385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101385
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Academy of Education and Social Sciences Review

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

















