The symposium presents design thinking as an alternative approach to conduct research and develop ICT-based participatory tools for learning in a variety of settings. The integration of ICT in teaching and learning, as well as its support to participatory practices, is defined as a wicked problem that can be best approached through the adoption of a design mindset. In this regard, this symposium presents 4 papers that explore ways to use design thinking and ICT in three different levels: (1) education policy-making, (2) facilitating participation in education (3) design of tools and methods that foster reflection about teaching and learning. The four papers presented in the symposium can be considered as use cases in which design thinking has been used to develop new services, tools and practices.