ABSTRACT
Never has an education in design been more accessible and freely available. However, the pedagogy underpinning the teaching of design thinking in a free, convenient, online environment is still underexplored. This chapter explores the design thinking skills and capabilities that can be obtained through digital platforms established to teach design thinking. The chapter is broken into two parts. Part I provides a global snapshot of multiple digital design thinking courses and discusses the promoted style of inclusive design thinking pedagogy. Part I ends with expert sidebar by Professor Jeanne Liedtka who reflects upon her experience of teaching design thinking through the very successful Coursera MOOC, Design Thinking for Innovation through the Darden School of Business. Part II focuses on professional design thinking education through the exploration of the concept of micro-credentials, government initiatives, and training programs. These concepts are further discussed through a case study from the Royal Australian Air Force. The expert sidebar from Dr Murray Simons at the Australian War College discusses the role of design thinking in professional military education. The aim of this chapter is to provide a documentation of design thinking education provided through digital platforms and in a professional setting. Throughout this process we have been able to suggest how design thinking pedagogy can be used to introduce key concepts and supplement learning and practice in a global context.
