A design thinking approach to developing girls’ creative self-efficacy in STEM

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the process by which adolescent girls develop self-efficacy related to creative thinking skills and apply such skills to problems in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields during a human-centered design thinking workshop. Design thinking is a popular framework that educators have applied in a variety of K-12 extracurricular contexts to bring more creativity into STEM learning. The study employs qualitative methods examining 22 individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with participants of the design thinking workshop. The findings show that participants felt the workshop improved their creative self-efficacy in STEM. The participants reported increased confidence to articulate their thoughts in a collaborative learning setting and a greater interest in pursuing a STEM career.