Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review

Design thinking stands out as a methodology that promotes creativity, user-oriented approach and interdisciplinary collaboration and has emerged as an active teaching methodology that encourages the development of practical skills and effective solving of complex problems. A documentary type researc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Luis Felipe Alvarado
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1462938/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850206216446279680
author Luis Felipe Alvarado
author_facet Luis Felipe Alvarado
author_sort Luis Felipe Alvarado
collection DOAJ
description Design thinking stands out as a methodology that promotes creativity, user-oriented approach and interdisciplinary collaboration and has emerged as an active teaching methodology that encourages the development of practical skills and effective solving of complex problems. A documentary type research was carried out whose objective was to identify studies that explore the use of design thinking as an active methodology in higher education. Methodologically, it was approached from the principles of the PRISMA declaration, establishing as inclusion parameters research included in the period from 2014 to 2024, studies disseminated in scientific publications, studies that directly address design thinking, containing at least one of the descriptors “design thinking” or “higher education,” disseminated in Spanish or English and studies with open access format, which yielded a total of 28 documents included in the review. The findings of this review highlight the effectiveness of design thinking to improve the learning experience of students by encouraging their active participation, critical thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration.
format Article
id doaj-art-17df04f372064f10afc52a088eef124e
institution OA Journals
issn 2504-284X
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Education
spelling doaj-art-17df04f372064f10afc52a088eef124e2025-08-20T02:10:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-03-011010.3389/feduc.2025.14629381462938Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic reviewLuis Felipe AlvaradoDesign thinking stands out as a methodology that promotes creativity, user-oriented approach and interdisciplinary collaboration and has emerged as an active teaching methodology that encourages the development of practical skills and effective solving of complex problems. A documentary type research was carried out whose objective was to identify studies that explore the use of design thinking as an active methodology in higher education. Methodologically, it was approached from the principles of the PRISMA declaration, establishing as inclusion parameters research included in the period from 2014 to 2024, studies disseminated in scientific publications, studies that directly address design thinking, containing at least one of the descriptors “design thinking” or “higher education,” disseminated in Spanish or English and studies with open access format, which yielded a total of 28 documents included in the review. The findings of this review highlight the effectiveness of design thinking to improve the learning experience of students by encouraging their active participation, critical thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1462938/fulldesign thinkingteaching methodologyhigher educationeducational innovationstudent participation design thinking
spellingShingle Luis Felipe Alvarado
Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
Frontiers in Education
design thinking
teaching methodology
higher education
educational innovation
student participation design thinking
title Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
title_full Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
title_fullStr Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
title_short Design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education: a systematic review
title_sort design thinking as an active teaching methodology in higher education a systematic review
topic design thinking
teaching methodology
higher education
educational innovation
student participation design thinking
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1462938/full
work_keys_str_mv AT luisfelipealvarado designthinkingasanactiveteachingmethodologyinhighereducationasystematicreview