The Best of What's Out There
Toolkits, research, programs, and communities — curated for educators, mentors, and youth program leaders who want to bring design thinking into student learning experiences.
Start with these toolkits
These are the most used and most trusted resources for educators learning to teach and facilitate design thinking.
The most widely used toolkit in education, developed by IDEO in partnership with classroom teachers. Includes the full design thinking process, methods, and a designer's workbook. Free to download in 8 languages.
Download free toolkit →The K-12 Lab Network at Stanford inspires and supports educators building creative confidence in students. Offers curriculum materials, workshop guides, and professional development resources for educators worldwide.
Explore K-12 Lab →A free digital toolkit with 17 design thinking activities organized across 5 phases — built for facilitators and educators. Includes a built-in timer, expandable activity cards, and print styles.
Open free toolkit →A curated directory of schools and programs actively using design thinking in their curriculum — a useful starting point for seeing what others are doing and connecting with the community.
Browse directory →What the studies show
A growing body of research confirms what educators have been observing: design thinking improves student engagement, creativity, problem-solving, and motivation — especially in secondary and post-secondary settings.
Analyzed dozens of studies and found design thinking is most effective when sustained over 3+ months, with classes of 30 or fewer students, and at the secondary school and university level — significantly improving engagement, motivation, problem-solving, and academic achievement.
Read study →A systematic review of K-12 design thinking research identifying two primary applications: curriculum design and project-based learning programs. Documents the growth of DT adoption across grade levels and subject areas.
Read review →A study involving students across four institutions found that design thinking programs significantly develop problem-solving skills, creativity, and the capacity to work with ambiguity — skills rarely developed through traditional coursework.
Read study →Darin Eich's foundational research (cited 500+ times) identified three clusters that define high-quality learning programs: student-centered experiential learning, building a learning community, and reflective practice. The foundation for this site.
Learn more →Examines how design thinking refocuses secondary education from passive content delivery to active, student-directed problem solving — arguing for systemic adoption across subject areas.
Read paper →Schools and programs worth knowing
These organizations have made design thinking a core part of how students learn — not as an add-on, but as a foundational approach. Worth studying and adapting from.
Design Tech High School (d.tech)
A public charter school founded on design thinking, located on Oracle's campus. Every student takes Foundations in Design Thinking, and a multi-year Innovation Diploma challenges students to identify a real social impact challenge and design solutions using DT tools developed in partnership with Stanford's d.school.
Visit d.tech →The Mount Vernon School — Innovation Diploma
Mount Vernon's Innovation Diploma is a four-year program integrating DT into core academics. Students collaborate with industry partners, government agencies, and nonprofits on real design briefs. Has been cited as a leading DT school in the US, with a long-term collaboration with Stanford's d.school.
Explore iD program →High Tech High
A network of 16 K-12 public charter schools built entirely around project-based learning, real-world challenges, and student exhibitions. Every student completes meaningful projects that go public. A widely studied model for experiential, student-driven learning.
Visit High Tech High →Online courses and professional development
Innovation Courses Online
learn.innovationcourses.org
All of Darin's online programs — including design thinking facilitation training, Train the Trainer, and workshop design coaching. Self-paced and coach-led options for educators and facilitators.
Browse courses →InnovationTraining.org
innovationtraining.org
400+ articles on design thinking, facilitation, and innovation training. The most comprehensive free resource on the web for educators and practitioners who want to go deep on design thinking.
Explore resources →