Why Every Teacher Needs To Be Trained In Design Thinking

National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) of India has not just introduced new subjects. It has introduced a mindset shift.

At the heart of that shift is one framework: Design Thinking.

For the first time in Indian education policy history, NEP2020 emphasizes that students must learn through exploration, collaboration, inquiry, real world problem solving and applied learning rather than passive memorization.

But here is the deeper truth:

Design Thinking is not meant to be another chapter in the syllabus. It is meant to become the architecture of teaching itself.

What NEP2020 Is Asking For

Throughout the policy, NEP2020 calls for:

• Experiential and hands on learning
• Inquiry based and problem solving pedagogy
• Creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication
• Flexible solutions, open ended thinking and multidisciplinary exploration

Paragraph 4.6 states that pedagogy must move away from rote learning toward competency based learning.

Paragraph 4.4 emphasizes multidisciplinary thinking, creativity and problem solving.

These expectations are not theoretical policy phrases. They are direct reflections of the Design Thinking approach.

So, the real question is not:

Should Design Thinking be taught as a subject?

The real question is:

Should every teacher know Design Thinking so they can teach any subject differently?

If we follow NEP2020, the answer is yes.

Why Teaching Design Thinking Theoretically Will Not Work

Explaining Design Thinking in a lecture is like sharing a recipe and expecting someone to taste the dish.

Design Thinking must be experienced. It cannot be memorized.

Many schools tried introducing Design Thinking workshops as PowerPoint based seminars. The outcome:

• Teachers understood terms, not application
• Classroom confidence remained low
• Adoption stalled

NEP2020 itself encourages play based, discovery oriented and interactive learning in section 5.1.

So, if we want teachers to use Design Thinking as methodology, they must learn it through practice, not lectures.

A Practical Question Schools Face

Teachers already have limited time, packed schedules and multiple responsibilities. Adding one more training program can create fatigue.

So any solution must:

• Require no prior expertise
• Fit naturally into short and engaging learning cycles
• Feel relevant to classroom practice
• Be experiential and interdisciplinary

This is where the UNBOX Design Thinking Ideation Kits become meaningful.

UNBOX Ideation Kits Are Not A Subject. They Are A Teaching Method.

Instead of teaching teachers about Design Thinking, the kits help them experience it step by step using the Paanch SA structure:

• Suno
• Socho
• Samjho
• Suljhao
• Samjhaao

As teachers engage with activities, they learn how to:

• Ask better questions
• Facilitate creative thinking and brainstorming
• Help students connect ideas
• Encourage multiple possible solutions
• Guide children to build and explain their ideas

The biggest insight teachers share after using the kits is:

This is not something extra to teach. This is how I can teach everything better.

A Sustainable Path For Schools

Instead of:

• Introducing a Design Thinking subject
• Conducting a one time workshop

Schools can adopt a phased implementation approach.

Phase 1: Experience

Teachers use the UNBOX Ideation Kits and experience the methodology.

Phase 2: Reflection

Teachers map the method to their subjects such as Math, Science, Languages, SST or Art.

Phase 3: Classroom Application

Teachers redesign one lesson using the Design Thinking format.

Phase 4: Integration

Design Thinking becomes embedded across teaching methods, not added as another subject.

This approach aligns fully with NEP2020 expectations.

The Future Needs Thinkers, Not Memorization Champions

India needs innovators, creators, problem solvers and empathetic leaders.

To build such students, we need teachers who teach through exploration, curiosity and structured creative thinking.

Design Thinking will not transform education by being taught as theory.

It will transform education when it becomes the way teaching is done.

A Question For School Leaders

Are we adding Design Thinking as another subject

or

are we transforming the way every subject is taught?

UNBOX exists to help schools choose the second path.

For School Decision Makers

If you are preparing your school for NEP2020 readiness and want teachers to shift from traditional instruction to experiential learning, the simplest starting point is:

UNBOX Design Thinking Ideation Kit Teacher Edition

plus

A short guided NEP aligned workshop

Final Thought

Students learn best by doing.

Teachers also learn best by doing.

Design Thinking becomes meaningful not when it is explained, but when it is experienced.

UNBOX DESIGN THINKING KITS are available at https://www.unboxgames.in/collections/design-thinking-ideation-kits