Design-centric Interdisciplinary Creative Problem Solving (ICPS-D): Developing critical and creative skills in teachers: Developing critical thinking and creative skills and mindsets in teachers
[ERFP 21/23 RA]
Prof. Lay-Kee (Ricky) ANG,
Associate Provost (Research and International Relations), Ng Teng Fong Chair Professor, Science Mathematics, and Technology,
Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
The ICPS-D project is a SUTD-NIE collaborative development initiative aimed at building teacher capacity in Singapore’s secondary schools and junior colleges. Through a bespoke Design-centric Interdisciplinary Creative Problem-Solving (ICPS-D) programme, the project equips MOE teachers with both design thinking content knowledge, including the design process, methods, skills and mindsets, and design pedagogical knowledge, including facilitation, curriculum development, STEAM integration, and assessment. Using AI for teachers in these aspects are introduced too. The research is grounded in SUTD’s signature STEM × Design AI curriculum and complemented by NIE’s expertise in teacher education and education research.
A key value proposition of this project is its sensitivity to Singapore’s broader educational landscape. Rather than introducing an isolated intervention, ICPS-D offers a meaningful integration across existing MOE initiatives, including 21CC, CCE, STEM, and the Classroom of the Future, by positioning design thinking as a unifying, discipline-agnostic method for creative problem solving. Programme resources are also being tailored for NIE to incorporate into existing teacher education modules, extending the project’s reach and sustainability.