Online Design Thinking with Multicultural Diversity: Advantages and Challenges Fauzan Khairi Che Harun1, a), Shizuyo Asai2, Tula Jutarosaga3, Yuli Rahmawati4, Alin Mardiah4, and Arifah Salsabil4
1Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia
2Ritsumeikan University, Japan
3King Mongkut^s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand
4Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia
a)Corresponding author: fauzan[at]fke.utm.my
Abstract
Collaborative online learning has become the new norm during this pandemic era. There are many challenges when moving from offline face to face program towards online program especially in terms of tools that can be used for learning. Design thinking is a method for innovation that is widely used during design process. But the question is, how effective the design thinking process is when conducted online. What are the opportunities that can we take advantages of when conducting online? What are the tools suitable to conduct an online Design Thinking session? These are the questions that this project is trying to address. In between 2016 and 2022, the researchers have conducted more than 6 courses utilizing design thinking in a multicultural environment where students from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia and gathered together to solve real problem in the community. In the initial years, this program was conducted offline in between those countries but since 2020, this program has been conducted online. The online session comes with its own opportunities and challenges. A total of 7 program with more than 230 students has gone through the design thinking courses, both in an online and offline settings. Our research conclude that both session does indeed improve the 21st century skills amongst the students involves. But more interestingly, these program has shown that online design thinking courses among multicultural background can be conducted successfully with some challenges.
