T.I.N.K.E.R INTO THE UNKNOWN
Yishun Town Secondary School students embarked on a design thinking journey with VIVITA Singapore and participated in the Singapore Design Week 2023 as design ambassadors.<br />
The school wanted to strengthen students’ empathy to identify problems and ability to explore alternative solutions. The school wished to expose students to experiential learning with freedom to explore creatively, rather than following prescribed instructions. Vivita also
observed that classroom projects tended to be research-heavy with few hands-on components and similar solutions.
An experiential programme was then developed to nurture students in creative mindsets, with a focus on empathy and openness to experimentation and exploration. Vivita hopes to empower students to create – a critical skillset for students to thrive in the 21st century.
Immersing students in practising design mindsets of empathy and experimentation through hands-on experiences and fun activities.
This project aimed to imbue the design mindsets of empathy, experimentation and exploration to educators and students, to design solutions creatively and build their confidence to venture Into the Unknown. 30 Yishun Town Secondary School educators and students were tasked to design a solution for characters from a parallel universe, each having their own special quirks, to eat sushi!
What made this project especially impactful was that students had the opportunity to participate the Singapore Design Week 2023 as design ambassadors! They applied their learnings by conducting a compact version of the programme to the public through fun and hands-on activities. These students could then fully embrace and exemplify the various design mindsets from the exposure.
”We learned that if we fail, we can use that in the next try to create something better. It’s okay to take a while to come up with ideas or solutions.”
Vanice, Secondary 2 Student
YISHUN TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Phase 1 – Experience
1.
1. Participants kicked off the project by designing sushi-eating solutions for their quirky characters, going deep into user research, design exploration, and iteration. It was a challenge conducted in a different approach where learning experience was focused on engagement, hands-on journey of discovery and storytelling
Phase 2 – Apply
2.
Students were equipped and took the lead to apply their learnings, conducting a condensed version of the workshop by themselves! During Singapore Design Week 2023, they facilitated a 3-hour session for the public and shared their design thinking process.
”We also discovered that some of the movements that are easy for us are difficult for certain people. This has taught us to reflect and reiterate and to be empathetic towards others.”
Student
REFLECTION FROM STUDENT DESIGN TEAM 4
Creative prototypes developed from the collaboration between educators and students.
"This programme provided a platform for students to explore design mindsets, and I learned that letting students think and explore through hands-on activities is important."
Mr R. Yuvindran, Educator
YISHUN TOWN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Programme Partners
VIVITA
Schools
Yishun Town Secondary School
