Design in Educational Technology: Design Thinking and Studio

In this review of Design in Educational Technology: Design Thinking, Design Process, and the Design Studio, the book is judged as a focused resource for practitioners and scholars who want a research-informed framework for design in education. Compiled from an AECT-sponsored symposium, the collection presents fifteen chapters from leaders in the field and makes the clearest case for adopting a design thinking mindset in instructional technology practice. The bottom line: this is best for educators who are building planning and prototyping skills and who value diverse, scholarly perspectives rather than a how-to manual.

Key Features

• Symposium-based chapters: Fifteen contributions offer up-to-date methodology from recognized leaders, giving readers a range of contemporary approaches to instructional design.
• Design thinking focus: Emphasizes a mindset of planning, inventing, making, and doing that can be transferred across education, business, and government contexts.
• Design process framework: Identifies broad concepts such as the design process and the design studio to help structure instructional technology projects.
• Research-informed content: Draws on the Association for Educational Communications and Technology sponsorship to provide scholarly grounding rather than anecdotal tips.
• Interdisciplinary perspective: Advocates methods used in divergent professions, encouraging readers to adapt practices from medicine, business, and other fields to education.

Who It's For

This book is well suited to instructional designers, educational technologists, graduate students, and academic researchers who want a conceptual and methodological synthesis tied to current scholarship. Readers looking to deepen their understanding of design studio practice and how design thinking informs project planning will find concrete value in the collected chapters.

It is less appropriate for novice readers seeking step-by-step software tutorials or quick classroom-ready templates; those who need practical checklists or product-specific guidance should look elsewhere. Practitioners expecting a short handbook may find the scholarly tone and breadth more suited to study than immediate application.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comprehensive, research-based perspectives from established contributors boost credibility and depth.
• Clear emphasis on design process and thinking helps reframe instructional problems as creative challenges.
• Interdisciplinary examples broaden applicability beyond traditional teaching contexts.
• Useful as a reference for course reading or for informing program-level design decisions.

Cons

• Not a practical how-to manual; readers seeking templates may be disappointed.
• The academic compilation style can feel dense for those wanting quick implementation steps.

Specifications

Title	Design in Educational Technology: Design Thinking, Design Process, and the Design Studio
Editor/Author	Brad Hokanson
Source	Research symposium sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology
Content	Fifteen scholarly chapters by field leaders
Focus	Design thinking, design process, and design studio in educational technology
Audience	Instructional designers, educational technologists, researchers

Our Verdict

Design in Educational Technology is a worthwhile investment for educators and researchers who need a rigorous, scholarly treatment of design thinking and the design process in instructional technology. It offers substantial conceptual value and cross-disciplinary insights, making it a strong reference for program development and advanced study, though it is not aimed at readers seeking quick practical templates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book practical for classroom teachers?
Answer. It is primarily research- and theory-focused, so classroom teachers may find the concepts useful but should not expect step-by-step lesson plans.

Who contributed the chapters?
Answer. The chapters were developed by leaders in the field and compiled from a symposium sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

Does it cover design studio methods?
Answer. Yes; the book explicitly identifies the design studio as a central framework alongside design thinking and the design process.