
Design Thinking for Educators around SDG
Self-paced
5 credits
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Full course description
Increase your ability to embed design thinking into your teaching practice and to support your students as they examine real-world issues through a design-thinking lens.
This credential considers the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and explores social issues through a design-thinking approach.
In the course you will identify, define and scope out a local social problem or issue and apply a design-thinking process to propose a solution. You may then design, create and implement the solution. This will be the process that you will support your students through to gain agency and solve real world wicked problems.
You will also identify the integrated curriculum concepts of the project and develop a lesson sequence that incorporates your project into your classroom learning.
This credential is suitable for all teachers and education professionals. The course supports teacher confidence in the creation of integrated experiences in STEM and beyond and aligns with AITSL standards in designing, creating and assessing lesson plans.
Design Thinking for Educators is an Extend credential, which provides intermediate knowledge and skills in a discipline. Extend credentials usually require related prior learning or experience.
By completing this credential you will learn to:
- consider STEM education in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- learn to ideate, scope, collaborate, communicate and problem-solve a challenging project that addresses an SDG-related environmental, social, health and/or cultural issue
- learn how to embed design-thinking and enhance inquiry-based learning into your classroom curriculum.
Key Topics
Your learning journey includes access to five online modules.
Module 1 – Explore STEM integrated education in your school and in the classroom.
Module 2 – United Nations and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Module 3 – Design thinking models and inquiry thinking.
Module 4 – Using a design thinking approach to address a real world ‘wicked’ problem.
Module 5 – Integrating design-thinking into classroom practice and collecting assessment evidence.
Assessment
To successfully complete this credential, you are required to pass a final assessment. To demonstrate what you have learned, you will complete and upload learning artifacts that when combined, will demonstrate authentic competency. These artifacts will also provide you with a sequence of lessons that can be embedded into you contextual practice.
School of Education
Dr Sheffield is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Curtin University, Australia and is a passionate science educator and the Chair of the prestigious Curtin Academy which supports and celebrates excellent teaching. She has won several Faculty, University and National awards for Teaching Excellence, and was awarded an Executive Endeavour Fellowship. Her work with the STEMinist group through grants has seen her supporting pre-service teachers, teachers and primary students globally. In 2020 she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame for her 30 years of service to STEM and Science Education. Rachel was a 2019 Homeward Bound participant selected as an acknowledgement of her work and influence in science education promoting women in STEM and supporting and collaborating with STEM women from around the world. In 2022, she was commissioned by UNESCO under the authority of the Director of UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education to report on global citizenship education (GCED) in the Asia-Pacific region. She has been teaching design thinking for a number of years including an international transdisciplinary program with 202 tertiary students.
School of Education
Dr Rekha Koul is an Associate Professor, Deputy Head of School and Discipline Lead at STEM Research Group, School of Education, Curtin University, Australia. She has over three decades of teaching and research experience. She sits on various advisory and editorial boards. Her expertise lies in the development, refinement and validation of questionnaires; investigations of the effects of classroom environments on student outcomes; evaluation of educational programs; teacher-action research aimed at improving their environments and evaluation of curriculum. She is well published and has won research grants, has delivered invited keynote addresses in various countries and also conducts teacher professional learning workshops.
School of Education
Nikki holds a Master of Philosophy (Education) from Curtin University, Australia and Currently working on her PhD project. She is an experienced and passionate educator, who through her school, network and community leadership relating to STEM education and inquiry learning models, was awarded her Level 3 Teacher status. In 2021, Nikki also received the United Nations Association of Australia WA Division’s (UNAAWA) Primary Teacher Award for her work in implementing the design thinking process into primary-aged classrooms to support students to develop solutions to local issues through the lens of the UNSDGs. She is a strong advocate for facilitating student-led action to foster transdisciplinary skills in children to promote lifelong learning and active citizenship. She is passionate about supporting teachers with developing their capacity and confidence to deliver this impactful pedagogical approach within their classrooms. Nikki is also an academic sessional lecturer within Curtin University’s School of Education for pre-service teachers and works as a research assistant on a number of university projects.
Once you successfully complete and pass the final assessment, you'll earn a digital badge that is instantly shareable to your social networks (including LinkedIn) which showcases your new skills and knowledge mastery.

This credential provides foundation knowledge in a discipline and doesn't require previous knowledge.
You will also earn 5 credit points which are in line with Australian Qualification Framework Level 8 criteria, ensuring comprehensive theoretical and/or technical knowledge of the credential. 100 credit points are required to earn a Graduate Certificate at Curtin.
Curtin Credentials focus on five themes, which have been carefully curated based on what's most relevant and valuable to professionals today, and in the future. This credential fits within the following theme:

Thrive and adapt in the changing world of work by developing and broadening your skillset in a range of areas including work design and cognitive flexibility.

Unleash your inner entrepreneur and blend your creativity and problem-solving skills to create valuable new products and services.
For more information on this, or any other questions about Curtin Credentials, email us at curtincredentials@curtin.edu.au or call Curtin Connect at 1300 222 888.
*Curtin may cancel or reschedule a credential at any time and for any reason as it sees fit. The Start Date and the other details of this credentials are provided as a general guide only and may change from time to time.
✝This credential/program involves 30 hours of online resources, readings, activities and assessments. However to pass and earn 5 credit points, you may need to commit further time.
^Learning is done completely online.
§Price subject to change. Please check price at time of purchase.