"Design thinking can seem a bit abstract to teachers. It’s not part of traditional teacher training programs and has only recently entered the teachers’ vernacular.
Design thinking is an approach to learning that includes considering real-world problems, research, analysis, conceiving original ideas, lots of experimentation, and sometimes building things by hand. But few schools have the time or wherewithal to integrate these processes into the school day."
Why would we ask students to learn design thinking? Perhaps because the concept of "considering real-world problems, research analysis..." (as quoted above) is called for in the Common Core. Based on my readings it plays hand in hand with the Maker Faire movement that is growing. This post in valuable because it discusses how a school is putting design thinking into practice, providing great tips as you read.
And if you are thinking of trying some design thinking yourself you should check out the website Design Thinking for Educators (http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/) and download their free toolkit which "contains the process and methods of design along with the Designer’s Workbook, adapted specifically for the context of K-12 education." This toolkit has been updated and is now version 2.