Failing through Play: Integrating Iterative Design Methods to Foster Creativity in Primary Education
Abstract
Creativity is one of the essential skills to navigate the complexities of the 21st century. In this exploratory research, we investigate how design can enhance current pedagogical methods in primary education to foster creativity in problem-solving activities. Using a case study method, we conduct semi-structured interviews with educators to understand their approaches, motivations, and the barriers they face when employing these activities in their classrooms. We also verify the iterative methods currently incorporated into these activities. Our analysis suggests that crucial elements of the design creative process, such as iteration and problem-finding, are often overlooked. Furthermore, the concept of “iteration” itself is not widely understood in the education field. These findings led us to propose a conceptual framework that integrates play and iterative design methods into primary education, making problem-solving and learning process more enjoyable and minimizing feelings of frustration that often arise from failure. Although the results are not conclusive, these finding suggests promising directions for further investigation and provide insights that can contribute to existing definitions of design and creativity in education.
Keywords
Design thinking; Creativity; K-12; Iteration; Failure
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.73
Citation
Fontes, F.,and Chung, W.(2025) Failing through Play: Integrating Iterative Design Methods to Foster Creativity in Primary Education, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.73
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 5 - Design Thinking
Failing through Play: Integrating Iterative Design Methods to Foster Creativity in Primary Education
Creativity is one of the essential skills to navigate the complexities of the 21st century. In this exploratory research, we investigate how design can enhance current pedagogical methods in primary education to foster creativity in problem-solving activities. Using a case study method, we conduct semi-structured interviews with educators to understand their approaches, motivations, and the barriers they face when employing these activities in their classrooms. We also verify the iterative methods currently incorporated into these activities. Our analysis suggests that crucial elements of the design creative process, such as iteration and problem-finding, are often overlooked. Furthermore, the concept of “iteration” itself is not widely understood in the education field. These findings led us to propose a conceptual framework that integrates play and iterative design methods into primary education, making problem-solving and learning process more enjoyable and minimizing feelings of frustration that often arise from failure. Although the results are not conclusive, these finding suggests promising directions for further investigation and provide insights that can contribute to existing definitions of design and creativity in education.