Design Education

Research on design education extends beyond traditional coursework, delving into the theoretical and practical aspects of how design can be integrated into diverse educational settings. Projects within the university explore innovative pedagogical approaches, such as utilizing human-centered design in computing education to better understand how students learn and how to tailor learning experiences to diverse populations. This includes studies on effective learning at scale and preparing students for industry challenges through hands-on, collaborative design projects.

Our research initiatives at the intersection of technology and education, investigate how tools like prototyping can foster creativity and innovation in both students and educators by creating collaborative environments where iterative processes and real-world problem-solving are intermixed to develop scalable models for teaching across various disciplines. Finally, we study how design can be used as a tool for social change, ensuring that the education of future designers includes a strong emphasis on social responsibility and ethical considerations.

Affiliated Research Organizations

• CSEducation; Faculty: Bill Griswold; Affiliated faculty: Philip Guo
• EdLab; Director: Clemence Idoux
• Protolab; Director: Steven Dow
• UC San Diego Labor Center; founding Faculty Director: Lilly Irani