Conventional, teacher-centred classroom activities are prominent in Vietnam where educators are familiar with a one-way flow of information and using limited resources for their practice, whilst a culture of creativity in the classroom is often ignored. Vietnamese educators face a huge challenge, motivating passive learners to be more creative and active learners as society responds to rapid changes in technologies. This article suggests that a flipping structure that incorporates a design thinking approach paves the way for course designers to assist passive learners to become more active in their learning processes. An undergraduate course was redesigned and delivered in a flipped classroom design, aiming at nurturing active learning among students. Quantitative findings highlighted that there was an improvement in student's engagement, including intellectual engagement and attendance, and that overall student satisfaction improved.