Using Glowforge to Teach Design Thinking in K-12 Classrooms
February 25, 2025
Michelle
"Design Thinking" isn't just another educational buzzword.
It's a practical framework that transforms students into creative problem-solvers teaching them to understand challenges, generate ideas, and create solutions that actually work. When you add Glowforge to the mix, those solutions become tangible realities students can touch, test, and improve.
Let's explore how each phase of Design Thinking comes alive in your classroom, with practical projects your students will love.
Start with Empathy: Understanding Real Needs
Before jumping into solutions, students need to understand who they're designing for. This is where empathy — the foundation of Design Thinking — transforms classroom projects from theoretical exercises into meaningful innovations.
Make It Work
- Guide students to identify actual challenges in their school or community.
- Encourage them to interview potential users about their needs.
- Help them see problems from different perspectives.
Project Spotlight: Accessible Organizer Challenge
Task students with designing organization tools for people with different needs. Whether it's a classmate who's left-handed or someone with limited mobility, students learn that good design starts with understanding others.
Define the Challenge: Turn Observations into Action
Here's where vague problems become specific challenges. Help students transform "Things could be better" into "Here's exactly what we need to solve".
Make It Clear:
- Guide students to create specific problem statements.
- Focus on one clear challenge at a time.
- Frame problems as opportunities for innovation.
Project Spotlight: Classroom Challenges Decoded
Instead of "The art supplies are messy," encourage statements like "How might we design a system that makes cleanup quick and actually fun?" Watch as fuzzy problems transform into clear design opportunities.
Ideate: Where the Magic Happens
Time to let creativity run wild! In this phase, there's no such thing as a bad idea. Whether it's practical, outrageous, or somewhere in between, every suggestion could spark the perfect solution.
Make It Exciting:
- Create judgment-free brainstorming zones.
- Encourage "Yes, and..." thinking instead of "But..."
- Challenge students to build on each other's ideas.
Project Spotlight: The Great Solution Sprint
Set a timer and watch ideas flow! Maybe that "crazy" idea about a rotating supply station or a desk organizer that doubles as a fidget toy leads to something brilliant. The key? Quantity leads to quality.
Prototype: Bring Ideas to Life
This is where Glowforge truly shines. Turn those exciting ideas into something real — something students can hold, test, and show off with pride.
Make It Happen:
- Start simple with quick prototypes.
- Test different materials and designs.
- Remember: perfect is the enemy of done.
Project Spotlight: From Sketch to Success
Watch students' eyes widen as their paper sketches become real objects. That wobbly first version of a paper organizer might not be perfect, but it's a starting point for something amazing.
Test: Where Real Learning Happens
The best part of having a real prototype? Getting real feedback! This phase turns "I think it might work" into "Now I know how to make it better".
Make It Count:
- Create feedback forms that ask specific questions.
- Encourage constructive suggestions.
- Help students see feedback as fuel for improvement.
Project Spotlight: The User Experience Lab
Transform your classroom into a testing ground where students observe their designs in action. Those moments when something doesn't work quite right? They're not failures — they're discoveries!
Reflect: Turning Experience into Expertise
Design Thinking isn't just about creating solutions — it's about growing as innovators. Help students pause and process what they've learned along the way.
Make It Meaningful:
- Guide students to journal their design journey.
- Celebrate both successes and "productive failures."
- Connect classroom experiences to real-world innovation.
Project Spotlight: Designer's Portfolio
Help students document their process from first interview to final prototype. These portfolios become powerful evidence of their growth as problem-solvers and innovators.
Ready to Transform Your Classroom into an Innovation Lab?
Design Thinking with Glowforge isn't just about creating cool projects — it's about developing tomorrow's innovators. When students learn to empathize, define problems, generate ideas, prototype solutions, and test their creations, they're building skills that last a lifetime.
Want to bring Design Thinking to life in your classroom? Download our Glowforge Educator Grant Guide a 1:1 demo to see how Glowforge can transform your students into confident problem-solvers.