Abstract:

This paper shows the experience of introducing the methodology of Design Thinking into civil engineering studies at Civil Engineering Degree of Universidad of Extremadura. It is expected that future engineers are able to solve problems using design and innovation. But to spread design, creativity and innovation culture into students, who are becoming our next generation, it is necessary to encourage Design Thinking and Creative Problem Solving in Higher Education.

World moves so fast that changes not permit us get abilities to manage it at the same velocity world is changing. Teaching methodologies has to start moving faster if we want to adapt them to the new reality we are living. In that sense we have to adapt the teaching methodologies to be more flexible and adaptable to the surrounded world. New tendencies, as Circular Economy, make necessary that engineers and designers evolve to make them widely practiced. If this evolution is reached the new models could contribute to achieve an education which focus on the sustainability, one of the challenges of our society.

In this work it would be shown the implementation of a methodology based on the experience “Design For Change” adapted from design thinking. The methodology lays on four steps: Feel, Imagine, Do and Share. This methodology was thought for children, at early stages of their education, to show them that they are the future and they are able to achieve anything they can imagine. The premise is: “I Can”. What is shown in the article is the work of a group of civil engineering students using this methodology.

At the beginning of the course they were ask to prepare a project. This project consists on showing the work of a soil Engineer to a group of students that are deciding their University choice for next year. The principal premise is to show in an interesting way, to catch student attention, the work of the Engineer. They can use anything they decide to reach this goal. All the followed process and its final result is what will be presented and analyzed in this article.

Keywords:

Design thinking, higher education, civil engineering, creative problem solving.