THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INTRODUCING DESIGN THINKING INTO CHILDREN’S CREATIVE AESTHETIC ACTIVITIES IS EXPLORED
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Abstract
This study investigates the application and value of design thinking in creative aesthetic education for preschoolers, with three primary objectives: 1) exploring pedagogical models integrating design thinking theory into children's creative aesthetic activities; 2) analyzing how design thinking influences children's creativity and aesthetic abilities; 3) examining the educational significance of design thinking in early childhood education. The research involved 60 preschoolers and 3 teachers from two creative aesthetic training institutions in Dalian City, Liaoning Province, using a mixed-methods approach. Through teacher workshops and classroom case studies, the five-stage design thinking process— "empathy, problem definition, creative generation, prototype development, and reflective improvement" —was incorporated into art and aesthetic activities (Yalcın, 2022). Data collection involved classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, artwork analysis, and Likert five-point rating scales, with comprehensive evaluations combining thematic analysis and expert quantitative scoring. The research findings demonstrate that design thinking effectively enhances children's development in creativity and aesthetic abilities. Children in the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in dimensions such as novelty, flexibility, and iterative improvement capabilities, while exhibiting superior aesthetic judgment in color coordination, form composition, and spatial arrangement. Additionally, during group collaboration and project-sharing activities, children demonstrated stronger communication skills and empathy. Teacher feedback also indicated a more open and interactive classroom atmosphere. This study not only constructs a design thinking teaching mode suitable for preschool art education, but also proves its effectiveness in improving children's creativity and aesthetic literacy, and further reveals its significance in promoting preschool education curriculum innovation and children's comprehensive development.
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