Coaching-led learning
Guided questions, encouragement and feedback help students develop their own ideas.
Educators support independent thinking rather than simply providing ready-made solutions.
Innovation, Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Design Thinking
Understand people. Reimagine possibilities. Understand people, define challenges and prototype thoughtful solutions.
Curriculum overviewInnovation & Design · Explore
Register Your Interest Program description
Understand people. Reimagine possibilities.
Design Thinking introduces students to a creative and human-centred approach to understanding problems and developing thoughtful solutions.
Students learn that meaningful innovation begins with curiosity, observation and understanding the experiences of others.
Through age-appropriate challenges, collaborative activities and guided experimentation, they explore how to identify needs, define problems, generate ideas and develop simple prototypes.
Rather than immediately jumping to solutions, students are encouraged to ask questions, listen carefully, consider different perspectives and explore what makes a problem worth solving.
The program introduces students to practical design-thinking processes through activities such as observation, interviews, brainstorming, sketching, model-making and testing.
Students discover that their first idea is not necessarily their final solution. They learn how feedback, reflection and iteration can help improve a design.
Educators provide coaching and constructive guidance while encouraging students to develop their own ideas and take responsibility for their decisions.
The program supports students who enjoy creative challenges, making things, collaboration and exploring how everyday experiences could be improved. Activities are adapted to different ages, interests and experience levels.
What students will learn
Purposeful skills, built through practice.
Identify meaningful problems
Consider the needs of others
Generate alternative ideas
Develop a simple prototype
Test and improve a design
Collaborate and communicate decisions
Reflect on their problem-solving process
The Forge difference
Why Families Choose Forge Innovation & Entrepreneurship
From curiosity to contribution—students develop ideas through guided inquiry, practical projects, feedback and reflection.
Real-world problem-solving
Students investigate meaningful challenges and explore practical ways to address them.
Learning connects to everyday experiences, communities and potential user needs.
Creativity & experimentation
Students generate ideas, experiment with solutions and learn through iteration.
Unsuccessful experiments can become useful sources of feedback and learning.
Teamwork & leadership
Collaborative challenges create opportunities to practise communication, initiative and responsibility.
Students may contribute through different strengths, personalities and roles.
Age-appropriate development
Learning challenges are matched to students' age, interests and experience.
Younger learners may use guided activities while experienced learners tackle more complex projects.
Meaningful project outcomes
Students work towards tangible projects that demonstrate their ideas and learning.
Projects may include prototypes, invention models, leadership projects, venture concepts and pitches; commercial outcomes are not promised.
Innovation inquiry cycle
Find. Observe. Reimagine. Generate. Evaluate.
This course-specific inquiry cycle connects curiosity, human-centred observation, creative problem-solving, practical application and reflection. The academy-wide Explore · Build · Apply · Master progression remains authoritative.
01
Find
02
Observe
03
Reimagine
04
Generate
05
Evaluate
Curriculum
Core learning, clearly connected.
Each area is developed through guided explanation, practical work, testing and reflection.
Learning area 1
Understanding people and identifying their needs.
Learning area 2
Observing situations and defining meaningful challenges.
Learning area 3
Generating and exploring different ideas.
Learning area 4
Developing simple models and prototypes.
Learning area 5
Testing ideas and responding to feedback.
Learning area 6
Communicating design decisions and reflecting on improvements.
Eight-session curriculum
A clear journey from first practice to final reflection.
An introductory term sequence. Register your interest to hear when classes open.
- Session 1
Discovering Design Thinking
Students explore how design can improve everyday experiences and participate in a simple creative problem-solving challenge.
- Session 2
Understanding People
Students practise observing, listening and asking appropriate questions. They explore how different people may experience the same situation differently.
- Session 3
Defining the Challenge
Students identify a specific problem or opportunity and develop a clear, age-appropriate problem statement.
- Session 4
Generating Possibilities
Students use brainstorming, sketching and idea-generation techniques to explore alternative solutions.
- Session 5
Choosing and Developing an Idea
Students compare possible solutions using criteria such as usefulness, practicality and user needs, then select an idea to develop.
- Session 6
Building a Prototype
Students create a physical, visual or digital representation of their proposed solution.
- Session 7
Testing and Improving
Students gather appropriate feedback, evaluate their prototype and make improvements.
- Session 8
Design Thinking Showcase
Students present their challenge, design process, prototype and learning reflection.
Student project
The Everyday Improvement Challenge
Students select an age-appropriate challenge connected to school, home, community or everyday life—such as an organisation system, accessible classroom resource, common school problem or everyday object. They create a problem statement, summary of user needs, several possible ideas, a prototype, a record of feedback and improvements, and a final presentation. Solutions are not represented as implemented in real organisations.
Core skills and outcomes
Learning students can explain and apply.
Identify meaningful problems
Consider the needs of others
Generate alternative ideas
Develop a simple prototype
Test and improve a design
Collaborate and communicate decisions
Reflect on their problem-solving process
Your Credential Pathway
Learning that leads somewhere beyond attendance.
This course contributes towards the relevant Academy credential pathway. Students who complete the required learning and demonstrate the assessment standard may become eligible for certification.
- 01
Learn
Complete the Academy program.
- 02
Practise
Develop capability through challenges and guided activities.
- 03
Demonstrate
Complete an applied project or performance.
- 04
Assess
Complete the relevant practical assessment and/or certification examination.
- 05
Credential
Earn the relevant Innovate Forge Academy credential when requirements are successfully demonstrated.
Applied credential pathway
Credential opportunity
Design Thinking Applied Credential
Assessment
Practical design challenge + presentation
Demonstrate
Discover, define, develop, prototype, test, improve and present a solution to a real problem.
Next step
Future Founder Credential → Forge Future Ready Capstone
Explore Certification Pathway- Pathway
- Innovation & Design
- Current program
- Design Thinking
- Assessment type
- Model C — Practical / Performance · Practical design challenge + presentation
- Exam requirement
- No written exam required
- Prerequisite
- None — readiness and pathway requirements apply
- Next credential
- Future Founder Credential → Forge Future Ready Capstone
Where can this learning lead?
- Course
- Design Challenges
- Prototype
- Test & Improve
- Design Thinking Applied Credential
- Future Ready Capstone
Growth & Care approach
More than a course. A supported learning journey.
Coaching uses questions and feedback to support human-centred inquiry and independent design decisions; appropriate mentoring can encourage curiosity; and pastoral care supports respectful listening without requiring personal disclosure.
The exact coaching, mentoring and pastoral-care practices included are confirmed for each program. An individually assigned mentor is not promised.
Explore our learning approachResponsible entrepreneurship
Educational simulation, not commercial pressure.
These courses develop thinking, communication and project capability. They do not promise profitable ventures, investment, guaranteed leadership outcomes or implemented solutions.
The Forge App
Continue learning with the Forge App.
Forge supports problem statements, design journals, project reflections. Parents can follow progress from the parent portal.
Problem statements
Design journals
Project reflections
Suggested learning journey
From curiosity to contribution.
This journey is flexible, not a mandatory prerequisite chain. Students may enter at an appropriate point based on age, interests and experience.
Enrolment Open
Young Leaders
Young Leaders supports teamwork, initiative and responsible leadership across the journey. It is not a mandatory prerequisite.
Explore Young LeadersForge learning support
Forge supports problem statements, design journals, project reflections. Parents can follow progress from the parent portal.
Available sessions
No Design Thinking session is currently confirmed. Register your interest for approved dates, locations and delivery details.
View Term 1 2027 catalogueFees and enrolment
Fees, available places and enrolment arrangements have not been approved. Register your interest to receive confirmed information.
Register Your InterestFrequently asked
Course questions.
Who is this program suitable for?
Years 3–9. The suggested year range is provisional and requires curriculum approval. Beginners welcome. Guidance is matched to learner age and experience. Educators can help families identify an appropriate entry point.
How are students grouped by age and experience?
Grouping is confirmed for each approved intake. Educators consider age, interests, previous experience and the complexity of the project.
What happens during a typical session?
The program combines guided inquiry, practical challenges, individual or team work, constructive feedback and reflection. Exact activities are adapted to the learner group.
Do students work individually or in teams?
The curriculum may include both individual and collaborative activities. Roles and expectations are adapted to age, strengths and the approved project.
What project will my child develop?
The Everyday Improvement Challenge: Students select an age-appropriate challenge connected to school, home, community or everyday life—such as an organisation system, accessible classroom resource, common school problem or everyday object. They create a problem statement, summary of user needs, several possible ideas, a prototype, a record of feedback and improvements, and a final presentation. Solutions are not represented as implemented in real organisations.
How does coaching support individual learning?
Educators use questions, encouragement, appropriate challenge and constructive feedback to support independent thinking rather than provide ready-made solutions. An individually assigned mentor is not promised.
Does the program require expensive equipment?
No equipment requirement is confirmed on this page. Approved materials, tools, device needs and safety arrangements are communicated for each intake before enrolment.
Do students need to establish a real business?
No. Venture work is an educational simulation. Students are not required to register a business, accept payments, make financial commitments or enter binding agreements.
Will students use AI?
AI is not promised. Any future use requires separate approval and age, privacy, authorship and safeguarding controls.
How are student projects and personal information protected?
Public sharing, fundraising, external engagement and identifiable student material require appropriate adult approval, supervision and permission. Student intellectual property and authorship are respected.
Does completing this course guarantee confidence or business success?
No. Students receive opportunities to practise and reflect, but no confidence, leadership, commercial, investment or profitability outcome is guaranteed.
What program should my child take next?
Suggested next steps include Young Inventors and Entrepreneurship. Digital Product Design and Innovation Challenge Lab remain enquiry-only possibilities rather than confirmed courses.
Where and when are classes available?
No date, time, venue, trainer, capacity or commencement date is confirmed on this page. Register your interest to receive approved details.
Related courses
Continue the learning journey.
These are suggested routes, not mandatory prerequisites. Existing experience can support a different entry point.
Innovation, Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Young Inventors
Turn curiosity into prototypes through experimentation and iteration.
Years 3–8. The suggested year range is provisional and requires curriculum approval. Beginner to developing. Guidance is matched to learner age and experience.
Explore programInnovation, Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Explore how ideas become useful, sustainable ventures.
Years 6–10. The suggested year range is provisional and requires curriculum approval. Beginners welcome. Guidance is matched to learner age and experience.
Explore program
Robotics & Computer Science
Applied Robotics & Engineering Academy
Where students learn to think like engineers — design, build, program, test and improve real robotic systems through structured term projects.
Years 2–8 term classes, with advanced coaching and mentoring for Years 9–12.
Explore programCurriculum-connected
Curriculum & capability connections
Design Thinking connects with Design and Technologies processes — understanding a user, generating ideas and testing prototypes.
Practical skills and activities
- Interviewing users and defining problems
- Brainstorming and sketching ideas
- Prototyping and testing
General capabilities
Critical and Creative ThinkingPersonal and Social CapabilityEthical Understanding
View Curriculum Connections
Australian Curriculum v9
- Technologies — Design and TechnologiesSupporting connectionInvestigating needs, generating and evaluating ideas, prototyping
- Humanities and Social SciencesSupporting connectionCommunity needs, economics and business thinking
Victorian Curriculum
- Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social, and Ethical capabilities (Victorian Curriculum 2.0)
- Design and Technologies — design processes
International references
- IB Approaches to Learning — thinking, communication and social skills
- IB Approaches to Learning — self-management and research skills
- ISTE Standards for Students — Innovative Designer
These connections show how the program complements school learning. They are not accreditation or endorsement by any curriculum authority, and participation does not replace school assessment. Schools can request a program-level mapping summary.
Forge Discovery Starter Session
New to this learning area?
Not sure whether this program is the right starting point for your child? Explore our Forge Discovery Starter Session and discover an introductory learning experience relevant to your child's interests.
Interested in this program?
Tell us what your learner is curious about and we’ll help identify an appropriate next step.