Abstract
Design thinking skill is perhaps the most directly related thinking skill of mathematical thinking skill, because design thinking contains a strong problem-solving process in itself. In this study, it was aimed to provide students to avoid thinking about mathematics only procedurally or instrumentally and to introduce them to mathematical studying methods and mental habits. Therefore, tasks were chosen that would encourage students to think and design using real-life mathematical elements and thus encourage effective mathematical thinking. According to Freudenthal, the theorist of the Realistic Mathematics Education, mathematics should be related to the social life of students, close to their experiences, relevant to the society they live in, and compatible with human values. The research is designed as “action research” which is one of the qualitative research methods. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Edmodo software was used as an electronic portfolio. Activities were prepared within the framework of RME approach. The responses are given by the students to those activities distributed when examined under 5 main headings: designing products, expressing the mathematical opinions clearly, using the mathematical knowledge, the research skills and the originality. These criteria generated after taking an expert opinion, subjected to qualitative analysis and interpreted. Consequently, it can be concluded that the educational process which is carried out with design-based activities provides learning, and is relevant to daily life, is interesting and is motivating. The integration of face-to-face teaching with technology and online approaches also help teachers manage design-based activities in a more effective way. 
 
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Highlights
There are many different definitions and interpretations about the term of mathematical thinking
We can say that design thinking, which is an innovation process that includes concept development, applied creativity, prototyping and experimentation, is a reflection of mathematical thinking skills
When considering that mathematical tasks are the tools used to initiate mathematical activity, research has indicated that the task types assigned to students widely affect the types and processes of thinking they engage in, their level of participation and the learning outcomes obtained
Summary
There are many different definitions and interpretations about the term of mathematical thinking. We know that mathematical thinking skill has a structure affecting and enhancing many thinking skills in individuals. We can say that design thinking, which is an innovation process that includes concept development, applied creativity, prototyping and experimentation, is a reflection of mathematical thinking skills. Stein et al (1996) argue that the tasks students engage in go beyond directing students the content they learn and can determine “how they will think, develop, use, and interpret mathematics.”. Studies conducted internationally [e.g., in the United Kingdom (Sangwin, 2003) and Ireland (Stein et al 1996)] suggest that in the introduction to mathematics course, undergraduate students mostly need to perform procedural calculations and rarely need to use high level thinking skills
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