11. Aug, 2025

Case Study – MSFDA sponsored Faculty Development Program.

How 40+ Government College Faculty Members Sparked Innovation Through Design Thinking.

MSFDA-Sponsored FDP in Pune Shifts Teaching Mindsets Toward Innovation, Empathy & Experiential Learning.

This workshop with Ayan was jus ‘Wow!’ Thank you so much for this unforgettable learning experience.

Overview

Attribute	Details
Institution	MSFDA – Maharashtra State Faculty Development Academy (msfda.ac.in)
Program	Design Thinking Faculty Development Workshop
Participants	40+ Faculty Members from Government Colleges across the state of Maharashtra
Duration	3 Hours
Delivery Mode	In-Person Workshop (Pune)
Objective	Cultivate an innovation mindset and introduce experiential pedagogy

The Challenge: Reimagining Teaching for the Innovation Age

How might we inspire faculty members across government institutions to shift from traditional instruction to innovation-led facilitation?

Faculty members, while experienced and subject-savvy, often lacked exposure to design-led thinking, empathy-driven teaching, and NEP 2020-aligned experiential approaches. There was a pressing need to rethink classroom delivery to align with 21st-century learning goals.

The Insight: Innovation Starts With the Educator.

“Before we transform students, we must first transform ourselves.”
Faculty shared a common realization—they were expected to inspire innovation in students without being equipped with innovation tools themselves. This session addressed that gap.

The DTE Solution: A High-Energy Design Thinking Primer.

Design Thinking Educators (DTE) conducted a 3-hour, hands-on Faculty Development Workshop that introduced:

Foundations of Human-Centered Design Thinking
Empathy Mapping and Classroom Application
Problem Reframing for Educational Impact
Creative Ideation Tools for Classroom Innovation
Group Activities to Promote Interdisciplinary Thinking

The format was participative, energetic, and designed to break traditional patterns, mirroring how faculty could reshape their own teaching environments.

The Impact: Planting Seeds of Innovation.

Outcome	Result
Mindset Activation	Faculty reimagined their role as facilitators, not just instructors
Pedagogical Shift	Strong interest in applying design tools to classroom challenges
NEP 2020 Alignment	Exposure to experiential, interdisciplinary frameworks
Collaboration Culture	Encouraged idea-sharing across departments and colleges
Feedback & Energy	Overwhelmingly positive; requests for advanced sessions

Program Highlights

Tailored for higher education faculty across disciplines
Sponsored by MSFDA for public sector academic upliftment
Focused on experiential and inquiry-based learning
Demonstrated classroom tools for immediate application
Conducted in Pune with representation from across Maharashtra

What Participants Said

“This was a refreshing experience. Design Thinking has opened a new way of looking at how we teach and how students can learn.” – Workshop Participant, Government College Faculty