Design thinking has emerged as a method for teacher professional learning and development (PLD). Research commonly focusses on PLD responses to specific priorities, particularly STEM, rather than broader applications. This scoping review examines how and why design thinking is used in PLD and discusses the implications for using design thinking as a method for context-specific, student-focussed continuous improvement. A total of 22 publications, published in English between 2000 and 2022, were reviewed. The findings highlight the range of design thinking models used in PLD, including the similarities and differences, as well as the reported justifications, benefits, and caveats. Design thinking is positioned as a topic of and a process for PLD, and teachers engage in immersion programmes or practice-related projects as either directed participants or co-designers. Analysis indicates when design thinking is a topic of PLD, teachers commonly engage as directed participants in immersion programmes, whereas when it is a process for PLD, the modes of participation and roles are more diverse. The implications of the identified differences and variations will be useful to researchers and practitioners, and PLD policy and practice.