在VPA STEAM Day，通过1.5小时有趣的动脑动手活动，孩子们除了可以收获对编程、机器人、机械工程的热爱，更可以获得一样非常重要的思维方法：设计思维。

设计思维是一种以人为本的思考模式，倡导以创新思维有系统、依据地解决问题。以发现问题产生同理心为起点，从而定义问题、提出创意构想、建立原型、测试成果，通过科技创新和跨学科的结合来帮助他人及更广泛的社区。

“简单地说，设计思维就是学习通过同理心和创造力来发挥能动性和解决问题。对于每个科目，学生都可以使用设计思维方法来解决问题，即：质疑问题、质疑假设和质疑含义。”

“我们教他们与终端用户共情、挑战假设并重新定义问题，最终生成解决方案，即使这个方案并不能立刻实现。最终，学生通过设计思维学习能够发现和解决问题。”VPA外方副校长、STEAM创新课程设计负责人Adam解释道。

当被问到“对于小学生来说，理解设计思维的概念和术语是不是太难”这个问题时，Adam表示：学生从小用“设计思维”观察世界的好处是，他们能够在学习这个过程中理解语言，并快速应用概念融入他们的创造性工作。举个例子，VSA三年级学生学习“冲突”，探索学校内的学生冲突，通过“设计思维”过程，他们共情用户（学生），定义他们的需求和问题（学生冲突），并构思（挑战假设并为创新解决方案创造想法，原型化和测试他们的解决方案）。

Adam进一步提出，他最欣赏学生通过STEAM Day展现出的特质是：不懈的好奇心、能效和能动性。所有学习者，无论年龄大小，都应该渴望学习更多，并相信自己的潜力。有效的探究者，应该具备终身学习者的技能和心态。

VPA总校长孔美琪博士阐述了她对于学生们的期待：

“在科技为社会带来巨大颠覆时，我认为，学校应该别再太看重特定的工作技能，而要强调通用的生活技能教导。最重要的是教导同学能够临机应变、学习新事物，在不熟悉的情况下，仍然保持心理平衡。正如Harari说的：在你们40岁那年，你不单止发明创新产品，你要重塑自己。因此，我常要求我们的学生掌握4C能力，即：批判性思考（critical thinking）、沟通（communication）、合作（collaboration ）、创意（creativity）的能力。”

“在 VPA，为了充分释放学生的创新潜力，科技创新教育在我们融入课程的范围内。我们投入大量资源开发课程和培训员工，以提供综合项目。总体而言，科技创新教育促进了深入学习，并使学生成为全球范围内的问题解决者、创新者和行业领导者。”

On STEAM Day, students will develop creativity and maker skills to help with design thinking.

• Design Thinking: This way of thinking equips individuals with the ability to solve complex problems and build innovative solutions through developing revolutionary ways of thinking. Students begin by identifying problems, generate empathy and define problems, develop creative ideas, build prototypes, and test results.Along with the use of technological innovation and interdisciplinary skills, students will learn to identify and solve problems with the objective to help the community.

“Design Thinking, simply put, is learning to exercise agency and solve problems through empathy and creativity. For each subject, students can approach problems with the Design Thinking method, which is: questioning the problem, questioning the assumptions, and questioning the implications,” explains Mr. Adam Hill, the deputy principal at VPA. “We teach them to empathise with the end-user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems in order to generate alternative solutions that might not have been instantly apparent upon first glance. Ultimately, they are empowered to find and solve problems, which is key in thriving in the 21st century.”

When asked if the young students have difficulty in understanding the concept and terminology of Design Thinking, Mr. Hill explains that the benefit of introducing this method to students at an early age is so they are able to learn the process, understand the language, and apply the concepts quickly into their creative work.

When asked what kind of characteristics is mostly appreciated in nurturing “the inquirers”, Mr. Hill explains that design thinking has an exciting place in the inquiry classroom because, at its core, it is an inquiry process. It offers a framework for inquiring into problems, empathising with people who are impacted, and using creativity to design effective solutions. In Adam’s opinion, Inquiry relies on relentless curiosity, efficacy and agency. All learners - regardless of age - should be hungry to learn more and have a belief in their own potential. Effective inquirers are equipped with the skills and mindset of a successful lifelong learner.

Dr. Maggie Koong, the Head of VPA explains, “At VPA, technology has evolved beyond what we integrate into the curriculum in order to fully unleash students' potential in innovation. To achieve this, we invest significant resources in developing and training staff to deliver a comprehensive programme. Overall, it promotes deeper learning and equips students to be problem solvers, innovators, industry leaders on a global scale.”