The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has created a skill module for middle school students called 'Design Thinking & Innovation' for Classes 6-8. It is believed that this module will assume an ever more important role in the future of our world.
CBSE developed the skill module in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell and the Faculty of IIT Bombay. The CBSE's goal with the module is to provide students with the tools and exposure they need to address problems using the design thinking process.
“This module on ‘Design Thinking & Innovations’ is designed in such a way that students learn to acquire both knowledge of design and practice of skills required to develop an attitude towards design,” read the official CBSE circular.
Further, it would be beneficial to find solutions to problems both in one's own neighbourhood and on a national or global scale. It will also be an important tool in our transition to a creative economy in the coming years.
This study material, teacher resource material, and FAQs are available on the CBSE Academic website, which can also be accessed at the official website, cbse.nic.in
Talking about this initiative, CBSE school principals believe that this skill model will enhance creative skills at an early age, "CBSE’s initiative to introduce design thinking aligns with the NEP 2022’s vision of education. Design thinking is the need of the hour, it will enable students to address problems and find innovative solutions for the same. Design thinking principles are applicable to all vocations and fields. Introducing these ideas to students at an early age will certainly foster creativity and spark original ideas and innovation in India," said Parveen Shaikh, Principal, of The Somaiya School.
Another principal, Archana Rodrigues, Principal, St. Joseph's School, Mumbai had a similar viewpoint that Design thinking is the need of the hour, with the upgrading of the syllabus to meet the changing requirements, "Many multi disciplinary fields for students to choose from, hands-on work skills is an essential part of training the future generations"
"Creative Problem solving and ideation can become a skill that can be imbibed in the middle school years and CBSE has taken quite a commendable and giant step in this aspect. A strong emphasis on using all the students' senses for the learning process cannot be reiterated enough. This is the first step in the paradigm shift that CBSE has initiated in the classroom and I'm sure this will bring our syllabus on par with international standards," she added.
On the other hand there are a few schools that have already started this last year. "We have started it in the form of our Students Transformation and Evolution Program. We got an excellent response and saw an outstanding performance thoughts ideas in our children," said Kavita Nagpal, Principal of Orchids The International school, Masjid Bandar.
"Now a days students are full of ideas and also have the courage to take risks to venture into new initiatives innovatively. It’s time we encourage children to think things differently and explore new solutions to certain problems," she added.
