The Tech Trek Collective: Using Design Thinking to Solve Real School Challenges

Outline

1. Welcome and Context (0–10 minutes)
Content & Engagement:
Introduce the Tech Trek Collective and its purpose—uniting educators statewide to solve authentic school challenges through design thinking. Frame the session around the ISTE Standards and Transformational Learning Principles (“Cultivate Belonging” and “Prioritize Authentic Experiences”).
Process:
Device-based interactive poll (Mentimeter or Padlet) to identify participants’ current challenges.

Brief discussion highlighting connections between participants’ responses and Collective team problems.

2. The Framework in Action (10–20 minutes)
Content & Engagement:
Explain the design thinking model, team structure, and statewide collaboration process. Present short video clips or visuals of projects and outcomes.
Process:
Peer-to-peer discussion: Attendees pair up to discuss how this framework might apply in their own districts.
Quick digital reactions (emoji or QR-based voting) to examples shared.
3. Mini Design Thinking Challenge (20–40 minutes)
Content & Engagement:
Participants experience a condensed version of the Tech Trek process: empathize, define, ideate, and prototype around a real instructional challenge.
Process:
Small-group collaborative activity (3–4 participants) using digital whiteboards or paper templates.
Frequent facilitator check-ins to prompt ideation and keep groups focused.

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to:

-Apply the design thinking process to identify and address authentic challenges in their own schools or districts.

-Collaborate across instructional roles to design tech-integrated, learner-centered solutions that drive meaningful change.

-Analyze formative and summative data to uncover root causes and measure the impact of instructional innovations.

-Replicate the Tech Trek Collective model to build sustainable, statewide or district-level professional learning communities.

-Reflect on how belonging, equity, and authentic experiences can transform professional learning and teaching practices.

Supporting research

https://web.stanford.edu/~mshanks/MichaelShanks/files/509554.pdf

https://dschool.stanford.edu/innovate/tools/get-started-with-design

Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student

Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning

The PD book