The Doreen Nelson Method of Design-Based Learning (DBL) is a proven teaching methodology applied in K-12 classrooms around the world since 1969. DBL and its 6 ½ Steps of Backwards Thinking™ are rooted in the spatial domain—learning by doing. Students’ self-expression guides the building of physical artifacts and design solutions to content-related problems, opening up higher level thinking skills, propelling agile decision-making and the ability to use/reuse concepts across the curriculum.