Indonesia BRIDGE Professional Learning: Design Thinking with Summer Howarth

Educators from Australia and Indonesia came together in October 2024 for an engaging online professional learning session led by Summer Howarth, Founder of Eventful Learning Co  as part of the Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE Program 2024. The session focused on using Design Thinking to address global issues like climate change, equipping participants with knowledge and understanding of how to use Design Thinking in the classroom.

 

Design Thinking offers a framework to support learners to empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test. Summer introduced a comprehensive toolkit with activities and examples, enabling teachers to integrate the methodology into their classrooms and school partnerships. This approach encouraged creativity, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving.

 

The session highlighted the importance of intercultural understanding and collaboration. By applying Design Thinking to shared challenges, Australian and Indonesian educators strengthened their partnerships and developed innovative projects with tangible community impact.

 

Over the two-session program Australian and Indonesian teachers collaborated online to design climate change solutions for issues in their local settings.

 

Summer Howarth’s extensive experience in education innovation provided valuable insights for participants, inspiring them to implement new strategies in their teaching practice. The session exemplified the BRIDGE Programs commitment to addressing global challenges and building a sustainable, interconnected future through education.