Jobs in the Year 2050 Design Learning Challenge, University of Lincoln UK, Feb, 2014.

About the Network
The primary purpose of the Design Learning Network is to engage students and educators from all over the world in creative problem-solving teaching and learning best practices.

Given existing curriculum, the Design Learning Process empowers creative problem-solvers with clear intentions via inquiry-guided design learning challenges – to gather information, define problems, build new understandings, show progress toward understanding, while reflecting and assessing.

As a network of educators, learners, creatives, decision-makers, and community members, together we design experiences using highly effective learning strategies, much of them inspired by the powerful research of John Hattie, 2009. 

We learn how to learn, wonder why things are as they are, ask tough questions to figure out how to figure, and dive deep to making sense of our ever-changing 21st century world.


What We Do
Personalized Consulting Services
  • Professional Development
  • Strategic Curriculum Integration
  • Design Learning Challenges
  • Interactive Parent Learning Gatherings
Design Learning Challenge Applications
  • Problem-Based Learning
  • Personalized Learning
  • Blended Learning
  • Competency-Based Learning
  • Service Learning
  • STEM, STEAM, Makerspace, etc.
As Director of the Design Learning Network, Doris Wells-Papanek, M.Ed. is passionate about empowering students and educators to learn how to become confident and creative problem-solvers, act as purposeful makers, take ownership of their learning, and make mindful choices. Doris holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction design with a focus on action research from National Louis University and a bachelor’s degree in product and environmental design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design.


Student Feedback
I learned that if I work hard on an assignment,
then I am more likely to produce great output.

We worked as a team to be attentive; we
were focused on the important things.

I learned to accept change and accept criticism
in a more productive way.

I learned to become more empathetic and
considerate of the lives and schedules of others.
This experience has changed my life!

I used to get off task; now I can stay focused
because I care about what I am learning.

Now if I have a problem, I know to ask questions and which
ones to ask; I learned if you never ask,
it is harder to learn.

I have learned not to fixate on my ideas and attitude;
otherwise, you become a loner.

I learned to be able to handle ambiguity, 
whereas before I could not.

Source: Kansas City Design Learning Challenge 2016 Participants


Contact Information
Doris Wells-Papanek, M.Ed.
office  847.615.9957
mobile  847.772.9959
project site  www.designlearning.us