Active methodologies in civic education: The impact of Design Thinking in citizenship education

The study addressed the teaching of Citizenship Education at the Llano Chico Educational Unit, identifying challenges in students' understanding and participation. It was observed that, despite obtaining good grades, students showed little interest and knowledge about citizenship and rights. This problem was attributed to traditional teaching methods and the scarce use of active strategies that encourage participation. Faced with this problem, the research proposed the implementation of the Design Thinking methodology in the teaching of citizenship. This approach promotes active participation, practice-based learning and the development of critical and creative skills. It was argued that student disinterest could be due to the lack of innovative pedagogical tools and the predominant theoretical approach to teaching. Previous studies have shown that Design Thinking facilitates the understanding of concepts by involving students in the construction of their knowledge. In addition, it strengthens autonomous learning, teamwork and problem solving. Research such as that of Ramírez (2023) and Dorland (2024) highlighted the importance of active methodologies for the teaching of various disciplines, including social sciences and civic education. Finally, it was concluded that the use of Design Thinking in Citizenship Education could improve student engagement, allowing for more meaningful teaching tailored to their interests and needs.