Global educators Dr Meredith Harbord and Sara Riaz Khan began their long-term collaboration in the Middle School Design lab of ABA Oman International School in Muscat, focusing on sustainability, ethical design, and global-mindedness.
They utilise ethical dilemmas and thinking tools to enrich and transform learning, developing resources based on real-world issues to engage and challenge students. Their new book, ‘21 Visual Thinking Tools for the Classroom: Developing Real World Problem-Solvers in Grades 5-10,’ has contributions to the book from ABA Oman International School, where students used the Detective Tool, Design for the Need Tool, and the Myself Tool to explore real-world ethical dilemmas, identity, and creativity. The Observer spoke to them about the book and their work. Excerpts from the interview:
How did your experiences at ABA Oman influence the development of your consultancy?
We worked together as Design teachers for many years at ABA and were given a lot of freedom to develop a Middle Years Programme that would support the vision of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Curriculum development was an area that inspired both of us so when we left school, we wanted to continue our collaboration.
One of the main ‘drivers’ of our collaboration was curiosity together with the ability to embrace new ideas which engage and inspire our students. Our common interest in ethical approaches such as ethical dilemmas and the idea of responsible design, as well as the scheduling of classes in our design lab allowed us to collaborate and develop a professional and personal relationship of respect and trust. It became apparent that students were more interested and engaged in using an ethical lens to explore the real-world design dilemmas and issues in our units.
What inspired your focus on sustainability, ethical design, and global-mindedness in education? The IB philosophy and MYP Design Guide support the development of global-minded students, who focus on being open-minded, caring, and inquiring. For us, students needed to have opportunities to explore real-world issues and sustainable design for their personal development. Young people are very disturbed by the many crises impacting our world, particularly the effects of the climate crisis. They want a voice and need to discuss these issues in a safe and secure setting that the classroom provides.
Could you explain the significance of using ethical dilemmas and thinking tools?
Our classroom experience showed that students paid more attention to units of work involving ethical dilemmas and values. For example, Grade 6 students had strong feelings when exploring Robotics — Is it fair to use robotic animals to entrap wildlife poachers and save wildlife? Grade 10 students were challenged to examine how the manufacture of mobile phones and how child miners handled poisonous minerals and dreadful factory conditions in the production of these. Many students were affected and felt empathy so decided to take action and write emails to the companies involved to complain.
What are some real-world issues that your resources address, and how do they engage students?
The first two curriculum books explored a range of real-world issues including sustainable ways of growing food, designing shelters for displaced families, developing space settlements, and stereotypes relating to packaging.
These issues are relevant to our world today and can be viewed through different lenses and ethical values such as wisdom, kindness, and honour. They engage students through student choice and emotion and also require them to reflect on their beliefs, values, and biases.
Can you provide more details about ‘21 Visual Thinking Tools for the Classroom: Developing Real World Problem-Solvers...?
Every chapter introduces a different visual thinking tool and a step-by-step approach for a range of topics from challenging bias and promoting self-awareness to reflecting on social interactions. Stories from the classroom and world, a range of ethical issues, and student and educator examples illustrate how the tools can be used. Some of our tools have been translated into different languages and we are looking for collaborators to translate them into Arabic as well. The book was launched on July 9 by Routledge and is available in paperback and Kindle.
How can these thinking tools be used for problem-solving?
The thinking tools give a structure to explore and resolve problems that may occur in the organisation. The use of a visual mechanism takes the pressure off the individual or team of people and allows them to step away” and explore ideas with greater agency. For example, a school principal used the Thinking Generator Tool to help her faculty identify /pinpoint underlying issues relating to time management.
How can parents use these tools to support their children?
As educators, we know the value and insights gained through respectful conversations. Parents often have difficulty in broaching sensitive issues with the constant distractions from digital technologies that influence so many facets of our home life today. In one example, parents were able to have a more in-depth conversation with their child regarding playing video games. In another situation, a parent facilitated their child in identifying their real feelings. We also had a student who came home after using The Myself Tool in school and told their parents that they were being bullied.
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