BGSU expands Life Design to local high school to help solve national teacher shortage

Students learn design thinking as part of the Project EDUCATE grant to increase interest and diversity in the teaching profession

By Laren Kowalczyk ‘07

In the four years since Life Design launched at Bowling Green State University, the groundbreaking program has become a fundamental part of the undergraduate experience — core to the University’s mission of redefining student success.

Those same design thinking principles taught to BGSU students are now being introduced to high school students in Washington Local Schools in Toledo as part of a grant-funded program to increase interest and diversity in the teaching profession, which continues to face nationwide shortages.

The efforts underscore the University’s commitment to responding to workforce demands through innovative partnerships and unique programming, creating a pipeline for Whitmer High School students to pursue degrees in education at BGSU, home to a nationally ranked teacher education program.

“Design thinking is incredibly beneficial in helping BGSU students determine what they want to do and who they want to become,” said Dr. Emilio Duran, a science education professor in the BGSU School of Inclusive Teacher Education and director of the Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education (NWO/COSMOS).

“Introducing design thinking principles at the high school level can profoundly impact the career pathway students follow. We want to continue fostering students’ interest in becoming teachers while providing them with creative problem-solving skills that are beneficial in all aspects of their lives.”

Developed by entrepreneurs and brought to education, Life Design at BGSU leverages design thinking to equip students with the tools to navigate challenges and empower them to design their futures.

“A significant focus of design thinking is collaboration and communication,” Dickerson said. “We want them to work as a team. Many of the exercises we do in class reinforce the importance of collaboration in developing a creative solution to a complex problem.”

Representation is another crucial component of the initiative. Dickerson noted that only 20% of teachers nationwide are from underrepresented groups despite students of color making up more than half of the public school population.

Singleton further emphasized the importance of students having role models who look like them. 

“When students see a person of color who is a successful teacher, it’s a journey they can see themselves taking,” she said. “If you see somebody who has already walked that path, the footsteps are easier to follow.”

Singleton said the Introduction to the Teaching Profession class size has doubled in the three years since Project EDUCATE began.

“I’m excited to see how much more we can increase interest among our students,” Singleton said. “Our partnership with BGSU and Project EDUCATE has brought new energy into the program, and I envision the addition of Life Design will have a similar effect.”