One of the main features of critical thinking is the ability to challenge assumptions in a logical and rational way. In a way, every great innovation is a result of critical thinking, where it challenged the existing assumptions to create something radically new. This activity is intended to nudge the students to think critically by pushing them to challenge their existing assumptions of a current model to come up with a new creation that is uniquely theirs.
In this activity, students will be asked to critically analyse the merits and demerits of the common dustbin that they use and design a new dustbin model that can overcome the demerits in the current dustbin model.
Jump to Instructions
Time Needed:
1 hour
Materials Required:
Cardboard
Scissors
Cutters
Markers and Sketch pen
Plastic bottles
Concept(s) Taught:
Recycling | Sustainability
Skill(s) Focussed:
Critical Thinking | Problem Solving
Aligned Profession(s):
Engineer | Product Designer
Instruction for students:
Step 0:
Ask the students to evaluate the current dustbin with the following questions:
Step 1:
Once the students finish the template, ask them to brainstorm within their groups to come up with at least two solutions for each of the challenges/shortcomings that they have listed. For example, if the challenge is that a dustbin cannot be used to segregate dry and wet waste, one of the solutions could be to use a separator inside the dustbin to segregate the different types of wastes.
Step 2:
After generating the solutions, ask the teams to evaluate the merits and demerits of each solution that they have generated. The evaluation can be done based on the following criteria:
Feasibility
Economical
Eco-friendliness
Step 3:
Finally, after evaluating the multiple generated solutions, the teams should draw the new product with their ideas incorporated.
Step 4:
It’s now time to make! Teams can use the resources available in the Prayogshala to prototype and give life to their design.
Step 5:
Once the students have completed their prototypes, each team has to present their work to the entire class, along with explanations about the reasoning behind their prototype, the materials to be used in the actual product, etc.
The most feasible and efficient ones can even be made into a real dustbin replacing the existing one.
Special Instructions for Teachers:
Identifying problems
Focus more time on identifying the problems. If the students are having trouble identifying the problems, probe them to think how the problems are created in different spheres. For example, with respect to dustbin, probe them to think about issues such as environmental problems and ease of use.
Ideation and cognition
Observe the process of ideation in each team closely. See, if they follow certain procedures of ideation. If not, keep track of the common mistakes and discuss them later. Take note of the common themes and contextual references that come up during the discussion. Encourage everybody to speak. However, guide them towards a feasible idea they can easily incorporate.
Critiquing the solutions
The students might not be willing to critique their own solutions and instead guard them. Encourage them to not be attached to their ideas. Remind them that no innovator gets satisfied with just a single idea.
Have fun making and share the works of your students with the hashtag #projectprayogshala to get featured!