The present study is part of a body of research focused on enhancing the educational process by leveraging open education systems to teach and develop adaptive design thinking. It also emphasizes the mechanism of building cognitive abilities supported by this system. These steps are integral to the advancement of design education across various creative disciplines. Design is considered an artistic science that relies on both innate talent and acquired creativity. (Idelbi, 2018)
Today, there is a need for innovative approaches and educational techniques that help develop design thinking to produce original creative outputs that meet professional needs, address societal issues, and consider environmental challenges. Among these techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out prominently.
To achieve this, educational institutions should support university teaching methods with modern and rapidly evolving learning technologies. This enables learners to master the essential skills necessary for continuous self-directed learning. Such an approach contributes to the development of adaptive design thinking, which enhances design skills regardless of the methods and technologies that may appear in the future. (Floridi,2014)
Learning to solve problems and make decisions based on evolving variables can be considered one of the primary goals of adaptive design thinking. This type of thinking is characterized by dynamism, innovation, and continuity, relying on higher-order thinking (creative thinking + critical thinking). (Idelbi,2018)
Mastering certain self-directed learning skills may provide a pathway to teaching and developing adaptive thinking.
One of the most important self-directed learning skills is critical thinking, which involves the ability to analyze, critique, and evaluate. This skill is essential for selecting among the various ideas and solutions that can be implemented. (Idelbi, 2016)
The relationship between intellectual fluency and critical thinking lies in the fact that intellectual fluency enables the generation of numerous ideas and fosters innovation by encouraging free and unconstrained thinking. This leads to more creative and diverse designs. On the other hand, critical thinking evaluates and refines these ideas to arrive at the best possible solutions. Without intellectual fluency, a designer might be limited in the number of ideas they can explore, and without critical thinking, the innovative ideas may prove impractical or unsuitable. (Schleicher,2024)
Artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool in creative education. Its use in data analysis and providing instant feedback to learners helps in improving their ideas and designs. Additionally, AI can be employed to quickly and efficiently create and test prototypes of ideas (Li et al., 2019).
Teaching Design Using Artificial Intelligence
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into design education can revolutionize the way design is taught. AI can assist in generating a wide range of innovative design concepts, reducing the time and effort required to develop ideas. Additionally, it can aid in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
1. The Design Process:
The design process is defined as a series of steps or stages that a designer follows to develop an innovative and appropriate design solution that meets users' needs or addresses the presented problem. This process begins with identifying and understanding the problem, followed by gathering and analyzing information. It then involves generating ideas and producing design solutions, developing and testing prototypes, and finally, implementing the final design with ongoing evaluation to refine the proposed solutions. (Lidwell, 2003)
According to the study by (Idelbi,2018), the traditional design process typically involves several key stages, including:
1-Understanding the Design Problem
This involves analyzing the problem and understanding its requirements.
2-Information Gathering
This includes collecting data and information relevant to the design problem.
3-Concept Generation
This stage involves generating design concepts.
4-Development
This includes developing and refining the design concepts.
AI-Enhanced Design Process
According to the study by (Li, D., et al,2019), the AI-enhanced design process involves utilizing tools and techniques supported by artificial intelligence at each stage of the traditional design process. For example:
1-Understanding the Design Problem
AI tools and techniques can be used to analyze the problem, providing insights and recommendations.
2-Information Gathering
AI tools and techniques can be employed to collect and analyze large volumes of data, providing diverse and potentially innovative insights and patterns.
3-Concept Generation
Design concepts can be generated using techniques such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and neural style transfer. ()
4-Development
AI can be used to develop and refine design concepts through techniques such as optimization and simulation.
Thus, relying on artificial intelligence can be a transformative shift in design education by introducing learners to the following:
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AI-Driven Design Tools and Their Utilization: For example, AI can assist in generating multiple design options based on a set of information, allowing learners to explore various possibilities and design solutions. Analyzing design outputs and providing feedback on usability, sustainability, or aesthetics is crucial for developing learners' critical thinking skills. (Pacheco-Mendoza,2023)
Application Name
|
Design Applications
|
Official Website
|
Copilot
|
Architectural Design – Interior Design – Advertising Design – Fashion Design
|
www.copilot.ai
|
ChatGPT
|
Discussion of Design Ideas
|
www.chat.openai.com
|
Groq (Lama 3)
|
Discussion of Design Concepts
|
www.groq.ai
|
Midjourney
|
Architectural Design – Interior Design – Advertising Design – Fashion Design
|
www.midjourney.com
|
Look X
|
Furniture Design – Interior Design – Architectural Design
|
www.lookx.ai
|
Fotor
|
Advertising Design – Fashion Design
|
www.fotor.com
|
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Case Studies and Real-World Applications: Studying real-world examples in design, or exploring design using VR technology in various fields such as industrial design, architectural design, graphic design, and fashion design, is highly beneficial. This helps learners understand the practical applications of artificial intelligence and its role in providing alternative design solutions, as well as how to use AI to address design challenges that arise from those solutions. (Idelbi, 2024)
Integrating artificial intelligence into design education represents a revolution in how we teach and learn design. Leveraging AI's capabilities provides a more engaging, efficient, and effective learning experience for students. However, teaching design with AI presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI can enhance creativity and efficiency, it is essential to recognize its limitations and ensure that human creativity and innovation are not lost in the process. Therefore, educational institutions must be adaptable to technological changes and develop educational methods and programs that ensure the integration of science with the arts, complementing human creativity and innovation with AI technologies. (Li et al., 2019)
3- Benefits of AI in Design Education
According to the study by (Floridi, 2014), integrating artificial intelligence into design education can bring numerous benefits, including:
1-Enhancing Creativity
AI can assist in generating innovative design concepts, allowing students to focus on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
2-Improving Efficiency
AI can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, enabling learners to concentrate on higher-level design decision-making.
3-Data-Driven Design
AI can provide valuable insights and patterns from large datasets, allowing students to make more informed design decisions.
4-Personalized and Guided Learning
AI can be used to support individualized learning experiences by providing tailored feedback and guidance for each student.
5-Collaboration
AI can facilitate collaboration among students from different disciplines, enabling them to work together more effectively.
Although artificial intelligence (AI) offers numerous benefits in design education, it also faces certain limitations and challenges. AI cannot entirely replace human expertise and creativity, and a complete reliance on AI may result in an environment lacking the human touch and innovation (Floridi, 2014).
Therefore, it is essential to develop and update educational methods and programs to enhance students' cognitive and creative abilities, integrating artificial intelligence in a way that complements human creativity and innovation (Fullan, 2013).
Hence, educational institutions should play a vital role in achieving this integration between science and art. They must be capable of adapting to rapid technological changes and developing new teaching methods and programs that meet the needs and aspirations of students (Schleicher, 2018). Developing educational programs requires close collaboration among teachers, students, and administrators to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Applied Study
An experiment was conducted with a group of architectural design students at the University of Yarmouk in the countryside of Damascus. This group was considered a purposive sample () of students enrolled in the architectural design course AD5. The group consisted of 15 male and female students.
The experiment was conducted during class sessions by comparing the results of two project grades in the second semester of 2024, under the supervision of the same instructor. Subsequently, the results were compared with those of a reference group to evaluate the impact of the intervention involving AI-enhanced design processes.
The first project involved designing a sports hall and an indoor swimming pool, while the second project was a museum design. The first project was assigned and monitored using traditional teaching methods, whereas the second project was handled using an alternative approach (incorporating AI in explanations and monitoring). In this approach, students were presented with problem-solving methods through the generation of a range of images and projects created using various AI applications. The aim was to train them on the concept of cognitive fluency, followed by training in critique, evaluation, and analysis. This enhanced their ability to express themselves and understand adaptive design thinking. Additionally, students learned the importance of analysis, critique, and evaluation (critical thinking) of any proposed design outcomes generated by AI applications. Not all results produced by AI meet the desired requirements in terms of execution style, cost, aesthetics, and functionality.
The experiment was conducted with a pre-intervention semester project (before using the AI approach—designing a sports hall and an indoor swimming pool) and a post-intervention semester project (two months later—using the AI approach for explaining and monitoring the museum design project). The results were as follows:
Student Number
|
Name
|
Pre-intervention project grade / 20 points (X)
|
Post-intervention project grade / 20 points (Y)
|
Difference between the two grades
(d)
|
Student Number
|
Name
|
Pre-intervention project grade / 20 points (X)
|
Post-intervention project grade / 20 points (Y)
|
Difference
Between
the two
grades
(d)
|
1
|
Rawda
|
15
|
18.5
|
3.5
|
9
|
Oday
|
10.3
|
16.4
|
6.1
|
2
|
Aryam
|
15
|
17
|
2
|
10
|
Sidra
|
18
|
19
|
1
|
3
|
Tuqa
|
17
|
18.5
|
1.5
|
11
|
Julie
|
18
|
18
|
0
|
4
|
Muhammad
Khalil
|
16
|
16
|
0
|
12
|
Dalal
|
13
|
18
|
5
|
5
|
Ata’Aallah
|
19
|
18
|
-1
|
13
|
Yasser
|
16
|
16
|
0
|
6
|
Ahmed
|
16
|
19
|
3
|
14
|
Juri
|
15
|
17
|
2
|
7
|
Noor
|
10.5
|
16.5
|
6
|
15
|
Muhammed Qahiriya
|
12
|
12
|
0
|
8
|
Abdul-Alrhman
|
17
|
19
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Experimental Study Methodology
Participants
15 students.
Location and Time
Students of the AD5 design course at the Faculty of Architectural Engineering, University of Yarmouk, in 2024.
Tools
For the pre-intervention project, the final submission was restricted to hand-drawn presentations within the college's studios to ensure equal opportunity. In contrast, for the post-intervention project, students were allowed to submit their work in any format they deemed suitable to express and realize their design ideas. ()
Time
2024
Location
Faculty of Architectural Engineering, University of Yarmouk
Projects:
Pre-intervention Project
Design of a sports hall and an indoor swimming pool using traditional methods (before the use of artificial intelligence).
Post-intervention Project
Design of a museum using artificial intelligence to provide alternative solutions and ideas (after the use of artificial intelligence).
Statistical Analysis
To calculate the change in performance between the pre-intervention and post-intervention projects, we use arithmetic average and standard deviation.
Arithmetic average of the Pre-intervention Project (X̄):
Arithmetic average = sum of X ÷ number of students
(15 + 15 + 17 + 16 + 19 + 16 + 10.5 + 17 + 10.3 + 18 + 18 + 13 + 16 + 15 + 12) ÷ 15 students = 15.35 dgrees
Arithmetic average of the Post-intervention Project (Ȳ):
Arithmetic average = sum of Y ÷ number of students
(18.5 + 17 + 18.5 + 16 + 18 + 19 + 16.5 + 19 + 16.4 + 19 + 18 + 18 + 16 + 17 + 12) ÷ 15 students = 2.12 degrees
Arithmetic average of the Differences (d̄):
Arithmetic average = sum of Differences (d) ÷ Number of students
(3.5 + 2 + 1.5 + 0 − 1 + 3 + 6 + 2 + 6.1 + 1 + 0 + 5 + 0 + 2 + 0) ÷ 15 students = 2.12 degrees
Standard Deviation (sd) =
Where (n) is the sample size = 15 students.
Calculating the standard deviation requires computing the differences from the arithmetic average for each value, then squaring these differences, summing them, dividing the total by (n − 1), and finally taking the square root of the result.
Student number
|
(d − d̄)2
|
(d − d̄)
|
Differences
d
|
Students number
|
(d − d̄)2
|
(d − d̄)
|
Differences
d
|
1
|
2.036
|
1.427
|
3.5
|
9
|
16.218
|
4.027
|
6.1
|
2
|
0.005
|
-0.073
|
2
|
10
|
1.152
|
-1.073
|
1
|
3
|
0.328
|
-0.573
|
1.5
|
11
|
4.297
|
-2.073
|
0
|
4
|
4.297
|
-2.073
|
0
|
12
|
8.569
|
2.927
|
5
|
5
|
9.444
|
-3.073
|
-1
|
13
|
4.297
|
-2.073
|
0
|
6
|
0.860
|
0.927
|
3
|
14
|
0.005
|
-0.073
|
2
|
7
|
15.425
|
3.927
|
6
|
15
|
4.297
|
-2.073
|
0
|
8
|
0.005
|
-0.073
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
From the table: The sum of (d − d̄)2 for the students = 71.236
$$\:\sqrt{71.236÷(15-1)}=2.255$$
Reliability Measurement and t-test:
This is a statistical method used to compare two means to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between them. In this case, we will use the t-test to compare students' scores before and after using artificial intelligence in education.
After calculating the t-value, the result can be compared with the tabulated t-values at the appropriate degrees (df = (n – 1) = 14) and the desired level of significance (typically 0.05).
If the calculated t-value is greater than tabulated value, the difference between the pre-test and post-test result is statistically significant.
t = d\ ÷ (sd ÷ √n) = 2.073 ÷ (2.255 ÷ √15) = 3.56
At a significance level of 0.05, the tabulated t-value (from the tables) for (df = 14) is approximately 2.145. Since the calculated t-value is greater than the tabulated t-value, the differences between the pre-project and post-project scores are statistically significant.
Calculation of Pearson's Correlation Coefficient: This refers to measuring the strength of the relationship and the degree of association between two variables.