Design Teaching: Identification of Innovative Educational Outcomes.

Complexity of the design profession is progressively increasing. Design schools must educate future designers in different areas of knowledge. To become designers, students need to acquire specific intellectual abilities. Are they being taught these today? In which form? To answer these questions, a hypothetical list of thinking qualities has been defined, informed by the work of widely recognized authors. This involved the comparison of the most relevant pedagogical perspectives in order to understand the best timing and the most effective acquisition process. The final outcome, is a final map of a pedagogically correct design thinking educational path, combining in one chart designers’ desirable thinking qualities and the best way and time to acquire them. Moreover, with the extensive use of the internet alternative forms of teaching are developing; the fast growth of virtual development technologies will allow more time for the thinking and creative process. The purpose of this study was to improve the curricula and communication in order to respond to the needs of the evolution in progress. The impact on design teaching programs is significant. It opens up to a wide discussion about the real priorities of design education and how these choices can be functional to the scenario which is opening for the next future.