Integrating Design Thinking into Science Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Risya Pramana Situmorang(1), Miranita Khusniati(2), Panggih Priyambodo(3), Winarto Winarto(4), Sefni Oemolos(5),

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46843/jpm.v5i1.528


(1) Biology Education Study Program, Faculty of Biology, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, Indonesia
(2) Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
(3) Biology Education Study Program, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia
(4) Department of Science Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(5) Higher and Postsecondary Education, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, United States

Abstract

The accelerating trend of applying Design Thinking (DT) in modern science education has not been accompanied by enough investigation into its effectiveness among different types of learning environments. Using the PRISMA approach, an SLR of SCOPUS-indexed papers from 2015 to 2025 is conducted to investigate global trends, methodological perspectives, and challenges in DT integration. Thirty-two eligible articles were identified and analyzed bibliometrically using VOSviewer Explorative research. Findings – An obvious surge in publications involving DT has been observed since 2019, with qualitative methods most widely used in recent years, especially case studies and design-based research. Case-based or collaborative learning, supported by digital tools such as prototyping platforms and simulations, is also a suitable means for integrating DT. Some of the issues revolve around constraints on interdisciplinary research and the application of DT within content-driven curricula. The study proposal shows a need for integrated tools and hybrid pedagogical scenarios to facilitate the implementation and assessment of DT. Implications for science education include presenting an evidence-based model for embedding DT across diverse inquiry contexts to support students in developing creative capabilities, problem-solving skills, and readiness to tackle complex scientific challenges.

Keywords

Design thinking; science education; systematic literature review; curriculum integration; instructional technology

Full Text:

PDF

References

Aifan, H. (2022). Implementing a Project-Based Collaborative Learning Approach Using PowerPoint to Improve Students’ 21st-Century Skills. E-Learning and Digital Media, 19(3), 258–273.

Al-Zahrani, A. M. (2024). Unveiling the Shadows: Beyond the Hype of AI in Education. Heliyon, 10(9), e30696.

Alhamdani, W. A. (2016). Teaching Cryptography Using Design Thinking Approach. Journal of Applied Security Research, 11(1), 78–89.

Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-Tool for Comprehensive Science Mapping Analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975.

Arifin, N. R., & Mahmud, S. N. D. (2021). A Systematic Literature Review of Design Thinking Application in STEM Integration. Creative Education, 12(07), 1558–1571.

Atchia, S. M. C. (2023). Integration of ‘Design Thinking’ in a Reflection Model to Enhance the Teaching of Biology. Journal of Biological Education, 57(2), 386–400.

Avsec, S., & Savec, V. F. (2022). Mapping the Relationships Between Self-Directed Learning and Design Thinking in Pre-Service Science and Technology Teachers. Sustainability, 14(14), 8626.

Bahroun, Z., Anane, C., Ahmed, V., & Zacca, A. (2023). Transforming Education: A Comprehensive Review of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Educational Settings Through Bibliometric and Content Analysis. Sustainability, 15(17).

Bawaneh, A. K., & Alnamshan, M. M. (2023). Design Thinking in Science Education: Enhancing Undergraduate Students’ Motivation and Achievement in Learning Biology. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 13(4), 621–633.

Bayer, I., Elma, A., Nasser, M., & Grierson, L. (2022). Empathy for the Health Professional in Online Asynchronous Graduate Education: An Initial Design Thinking Approach to Program Improvement. Discover Education, 1(1).

Beligatamulla, G., Rieger, J., Franz, J., & Strickfaden, M. (2019). Making Pedagogic Sense of Design Thinking in the Higher Education Context. Open Education Studies, 1(1), 91–105.

Brandão, A. P., Donaldson, J. P., Dunlap, K. A., Wiegert, J. G., Kao, S., & Paudyal, S. (2024). Design Thinking for Engaged Learning in Animal Science: Lessons From Five Semesters of a Senior Capstone Course. Translational Animal Science, 8.

Bush, S. B., Edelen, D., Roberts, T., Maiorca, C., Ivy, J. T., Cook, K. L., ... & Cox Jr, R. (2024). Humanistic STE(A)M Instruction Through Empathy: Leveraging Design Thinking to Improve Society. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 19(1), 60–79.

Charosky, G., Hassi, L., Papageorgiou, K., & Bragós, R. (2022). Developing Innovation Competences in Engineering Students: A Comparison of Two Approaches. European Journal of Engineering Education, 47(2), 353–372.

Chen, K., Chen, J., & Wang, C. (2023). The Effects of Two Empathy Strategies in Design Thinking on Pre-Service Teachers’ Creativity. Knowledge Management and E-Learning, 15(3), 468–486.

Couzens, A. J., & Cattoni, J. (2023). Redesigning Screen Production Pedagogy for Hybrid Learning Models. Media Practice and Education, 24(1), 4–20.

Dotson, M. E., Alvarez, V., Tackett, M., Asturias, G., Leon, I., & Ramanujam, N. (2020). Design Thinking-Based STEM Learning: Preliminary Results on Achieving Scale and Sustainability Through the IGNITE Model. Frontiers in Education, 5.

Dúo-Terrón, P., Hinojo-Lucena, F. J., Moreno-Guerrero, A. J., & López-Belmonte, J. (2022). Impact of the Pandemic on STEAM Disciplines in the Sixth Grade of Primary Education. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 12(8), 989–1005.

Duschl, R. A. (2019). Learning Progressions: Framing and Designing Coherent Sequences for STEM Education. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 1(1), 4.

Dyer, M. (2019). STEAM Without Hot Air: Strategy for Educating Creative Engineers. Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, 24(2), 74–85.

English, L. D., & King, D. (2019). STEM Integration in Sixth Grade: Designing and Constructing Paper Bridges. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 17(5), 863–884.

Fallin, L. (2025). The Transformative Potential of Design Thinking in Learning Development. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 34.

Fatkhurrohman, M. A. (2023). A Systematic Review on Design Thinking in Science Education Research (DTiSER) on 21st Century Skills. Journal of Advanced Sciences and Mathematics Education, 5(1), 123–135.

Fearn, W., & Hook, J. (2023). A Service Design Thinking Approach: What Are the Barriers and Opportunities of Using Augmented Reality for Primary Science Education? Journal of Technology and Science Education, 13(1), 329–351.

Fritzsche, H., Barbazzeni, B., Mahmeen, M., Haider, S., & Friebe, M. (2021). A Structured Pathway Toward Disruption: A Novel HealthTec Innovation Design Curriculum With Entrepreneurship in Mind. Frontiers in Public Health, 9.

Galoyan, T., Barany, A., Donaldson, J. P., Ward, N., & Hammrich, P. (2022). Connecting Science, Design Thinking, and Computational Thinking Through Sports. International Journal of Instruction, 15(1), 601–618.

Goldman, S., & Kabayadondo, Z. (2016). Taking Design Thinking to School: How the Technology of Design Can Transform Teachers, Learners, and Classrooms (1st ed.). Routledge.

Grönman, S., Lindfors, E., & Rönkkö, M. L. (2025). Design Thinking in Early Childhood Education and Care. A Literature Review and Consideration From the Perspective of Young Learners’ Craft, Design, and Technology Education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 35(3), 857–877.

Guaman-Quintanilla, S., Alcivar, I., Caicedo, G., Everaert, P., & Chiluiza, K. (2025). How to Set Up a Formal Design Thinking Course That Works? A Practical Guide for Higher Education Settings. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 56, 101759.

Gusenbauer, M. (2024). Beyond Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science: An Evaluation of the Backward and Forward Citation Coverage of 59 Databases’ Citation Indices. Research Synthesis Methods, 15(5), 802–817.

Haddaway, N. R., Page, M. J., Pritchard, C. C., & McGuinness, L. A. (2022). PRISMA2020: An R Package and Shiny App for Producing PRISMA 2020-Compliant Flow Diagrams, With Interactivity for Optimised Digital Transparency and Open Synthesis. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18(2), e1230.

He, W., Zheng, Y., Zhang, X., Liao, L., & Hu, X. (2025). Application of Design Thinking Model for the Improvement in Engagement Among Primary Students for STEM Courses. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher.

Henriksen, D., Gretter, S., & Richardson, C. (2020). Design Thinking and the Practicing Teacher: Addressing Problems of Practice in Teacher Education. Teaching Education, 31(2), 209–229.

Henriksen, D., Richardson, C., & Mehta, R. (2017). Design Thinking: A Creative Approach to Educational Problems of Practice. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 26, 140–153.

Ho, T. E., & Pang, V. (2024). Outcomes of an Integrated STEM With Design Thinking Module on Preschoolers’ Engineering Practices. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(4).

Högsdal, S., & Grundmeier, A. M. (2021). Integrating Design Thinking in Teacher Education: Student Teachers Develop Learning Scenarios for Elementary Schools. International Journal of Design Education, 16(1), 1–26.

Hsu, T. C., Chang, Y. S., Chen, M. S., Tsai, I. F., & Yu, C. Y. (2023). A Validity and Reliability Study of the Formative Model for the Indicators of STEAM Education Creations. Education and Information Technologies, 28(7), 8855–8878.

Khushk, A., Zhiying, L., Yi, X., & Zengtian, Z. (2023). Technology Innovation in STEM Education: A Review and Analysis. International Journal of Educational Research and Innovation, 2023(19), 29–51.

Kijima, R., Yang-Yoshihara, M., & Maekawa, M. S. (2021). Using Design Thinking to Cultivate the Next Generation of Female STEAM Thinkers. International Journal of STEM Education, 8(1), 14.

Ladachart, L., Khamlarsai, S., & Phothong, W. (2022). Cultivating a Design Thinking Mindset in Educationally Disadvantaged Students Using a Design-Based Activity. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 30(4), 1–14.

Leonardou, A., Rigou, M., Panagiotarou, A., & Garofalakis, J. (2022). Effect of OSLM Features and Gamification Motivators on Motivation in DGBL: Pupils’ Viewpoint. Smart Learning Environments, 9(1).

Li, R., Zhang, H., Liu, C., Qian, Z. C., & Zhang, L. (2022). Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of User Experience Design Research: From 1999 to 2019. SAGE Open, 12(1).

Li, T., & Zhan, Z. (2022). A Systematic Review on Design Thinking Integrated Learning in K-12 Education. Applied Sciences, 12(16).

Li, W. T., Ho, M. C., & Yang, C. (2019). A Design Thinking-Based Study of the Prospect of the Sustainable Development of Traditional Handicrafts. Sustainability, 11(18).

Li, Y., Schoenfeld, A. H., diSessa, A. A., Graesser, A. C., Benson, L. C., English, L. D., & Duschl, R. A. (2019). Design and Design Thinking in STEM Education. Journal for STEM Education Research, 2(2), 93–104.

Liang, J. (2024). A Systematic Literature Review of the Design Thinking Application in the Early Childhood Integrated STEM Education. International Journal of Learning and Teaching, 10(5), 643–646.

Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P. A., Clarke, M., Devereaux, P. J., Kleijnen, J., & Moher, D. (2009). The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Healthcare Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration. BMJ, 339, b2700.

Lin, L., Shen, S., Shadiev, R., & Yu, M. (2025). Review of Research on Design Thinking in K-12 Education. Educational Research Review, 47, 100682.

Liu, H. Y. (2024). Effects of the Design Thinking Pedagogy on Design Thinking Competence of Nursing Students in Taiwan: A Prospective Non-Randomized Study. Nurse Education Today, 138.

Liu, P. (2023). An Entrepreneurship Incubation Process Model and Gamified Educational Software Designed for Sustainable Education. Sustainability, 15(19).

McGrath, K., Regan, Á., & Russell, T. (2024). A User-Centred Future for Agricultural Digital Innovation: Demonstrating the Value of Design Thinking in an Animal Health Context. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 1–19.

Munn, Z., Stern, C., Aromataris, E., Lockwood, C., & Jordan, Z. (2018). What Kind of Systematic Review Should I Conduct? A Proposed Typology and Guidance for Systematic Reviewers in the Medical and Health Sciences. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18(1), 5.

Ng, D. T. K., Leung, J. K. L., Chu, S. K. W., & Qiao, M. S. (2021). Conceptualizing AI Literacy: An Exploratory Review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100041.

Nguy?n, L. C., Hoa, H. Q., & Hien, L. H. P. (2025). Integrating Design Thinking Into STEM Education: Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills of High School Students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(4), 1–11.

Nugraha, M. G., Kidman, G., & Tan, H. (2024). Interdisciplinary STEM Education Foundational Concepts: Implementation for Knowledge Creation. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(10).

Ogegbo, A. A., & Ramnarain, U. (2022). Teachers’ Perceptions of and Concerns About Integrating Computational Thinking Into Science Teaching After a Professional Development Activity. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 26(3), 181–191.

Orozco, M., Boon, M., & Arce, A. S. (2023). Learning Electrochemistry Through Scientific Inquiry. Conceptual Modelling as Learning Objective and as Scaffold. European Journal of Engineering Education, 48(1), 180–196.

Oshima, J., Oshima, R., & Kayagi, T. (2024). University Students’ Knowledge Creation Practices in Face-to-Face and Hybrid Blended Learning: Development of Epistemic Views and Perceptions of the Community of Inquiry. Journal of Science Education and Technology.

Öztürk, A., & Korkut, F. (2023). Design Thinking Customized to Support STEM Teachers: Co-Developing and Implementing STEM Activities for Fifth Graders in Turkey. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 33(4), 1409–1447.

Page, M. J., Moher, D., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., ... & McKenzie, J. E. (2021). PRISMA 2020 Explanation and Elaboration: Updated Guidance and Exemplars for Reporting Systematic Reviews. BMJ, 372.

Panke, S. (2019). Design Thinking in Education: Perspectives, Opportunities and Challenges. Open Education Studies, 1(1), 281–306.

Piwowar, H., Priem, J., Larivière, V., Alperin, J. P., Matthias, L., Norlander, B., ... & Haustein, S. (2018). The State of OA: A Large-Scale Analysis of the Prevalence and Impact of Open Access Articles. PeerJ, 6, e4375.

Quintanilla, S. G., Everaert, P., Chiluiza, K., & Valcke, M. (2023). Impact of Design Thinking in Higher Education: A Multi-Actor Perspective on Problem Solving and Creativity. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 33(1), 217–240.

Rahman, S. M. M. (2024). Digital K–12 STEM Education Through Human–Robot Interaction: Investigation on Prerequisites. Digital, 4(2), 461–482.

Ramírez-Montoya, M. S., Quintero Gámez, L., Sanabria-Z, J., & Portuguez-Castro, M. (2024). Exploring Complex Thinking in Latin American Universities: Comparative Analysis Between Programs and Alternative Credentials. Journal of Latinos and Education, 23(5), 1744–1765.

Ramos-Mejía, A., & Padilla, K. (2025). A Problem-Based Learning Electrochemistry Course for Undergraduate Students to Develop Complex Thinking. Education Sciences, 15(3).

Rethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., Ayala, A. P., Moher, D., Page, M. J., & Koffel, J. B. (2021). PRISMA-S: An Extension to the PRISMA Statement for Reporting Literature Searches in Systematic Reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 39.

Shah, S. F. A., Mazhar, T., Shahzad, T., Ghadi, Y. Y., & Hamam, H. (2024). Integrating Educational Theories With Virtual Reality: Enhancing Engineering Education and VR Laboratories. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, 101207.

Shakeel, M. C. A., Chummun, D., & Luckho, S. (2024). Use of Design Thinking as a Strategy to Identify and Clear Students’ Misconceptions in Photosynthesis: A Case Study. Journal of Biological Education, 58(3), 666–683.

Shanmugam, S., Veloo, A., Ng, S. B., & Revindran, S. (2025). Exploring the Barriers to Implementing Hybrid Learning in Rural Primary Schools. Cogent Education, 12(1).

Shea, B. J., Reeves, B. C., Wells, G., Thuku, M., Hamel, C., Moran, J., ... & Henry, D. A. (2017). AMSTAR 2: A Critical Appraisal Tool for Systematic Reviews That Include Randomised or Non-Randomised Studies of Healthcare Interventions, or Both. BMJ, 358.

Siew, N. M., & Arifin, S. (2025). Fostering Creative Thinking in Entrepreneurship Among Socio-Scientific Issues and Design Thinking Integration in Science Education. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 24(1), 169–186.

Sigauke, E. (2020). Connecting Urban Agriculture With Design Thinking: A Case Study From Zimbabwe. Journal of Environmental Education, 52(1), 53–68.

Situmorang, R. P., Suwono, H., Susanto, H., Chang, C. Y., & Liu, S. Y. (2024). Learn Biology Using Digital Game-Based Learning: A Systematic Literature Review. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(6), em2459.

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature Review as a Research Methodology: An Overview and Guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339.

Stammes, H., Henze, I., Barendsen, E., & de Vries, M. (2025). Monitoring Multiple Aspects of Learning When Design-Based Learning Meets Science Education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education.

Stevens, L. L., Whitehead, C., & Singhal, A. (2022). Cultivating Cooperative Relationships: Identifying Learning Gaps When Teaching Students Systems Thinking Biomimicry. Biomimetics, 7(4).

Sulisworo, D., Drusmin, R., Kusumaningtyas, D. A., Handayani, T., Wahyuningsih, W., Jufriansah, A., ... & Prasetyo, E. (2021). The Science Teachers’ Optimism Response to the Use of Marker?Based Augmented Reality in the Global Warming Issue. Education Research International, 2021(1), 7264230.

Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O’Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., Moher, D., Peters, M. D. J., Horsley, T., Weeks, L., Hempel, S., Akl, E. A., Chang, C., McGowan, J., Stewart, L., Hartling, L., Aldcroft, A., Wilson, M. G., Garritty, C., … Straus, S. E. (2018). PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 467–473.

Tsai, C. A., Song, M. Y. W., Lo, Y. F., & Lo, C. C. (2023). Design Thinking With Constructivist Learning Increases the Learning Motivation and Wicked Problem-Solving Capability—An Empirical Research in Taiwan. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 50, 101385.

Villarrubia, C., Vara, J. M., Granada, D., Gómez?Macías, C., & Pérez?Blanco, F. J. (2024). DesignScrum–An Agility Educational Resource Powered by Creativity. Software: Practice and Experience, 54(6), 985–1009.

Wang, C. C. (2024). Using Design Thinking for Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design and Teaching: A Case Study in Higher Education. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1–13.

Wren, H., Hetherington, L., Chappell, K., O’Kane, E., Sotiriou, M., Quacinella, D., ... & Duca, E. (2025). Conceptualising and Exploring Creative Pedagogies and Design Thinking in Transdisciplinary STEAM Higher Education Courses. Research Papers in Education, 1–30.

Yu, Q., Yu, K., & Lin, R. (2024). A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Design Thinking on Student Learning. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 742.

Yüksel, A. O. (2025). Design-Based STEM Activities in Teacher Education and Its Effect on Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Design Thinking Skills. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 34(4), 904–918.

Zheng, J. (2018). Analysis of Collaborative Design and Construction Collaborative Mechanism of Cloud BIM Platform Construction Project Based on Green Computing Technology. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 34(2), 819–829.

Zupic, I., & ?ater, T. (2015). Bibliometric Methods in Management and Organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429–472.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.