Combination of Experiential Learning to investigate design students’ design thinking ability

The study investigated the relationship between Experiential Learning and design students’ design thinking ability. Experiential Learning was divided into three modes: grasping experience, transforming experience, and the Learning styles, and design thinking ability was evaluated in four phases, Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. One hundred and four undergraduate students (from sophomore to senior) majoring in Industrial Design responded to the Learning Style Inventory-version 3.1 and the design thinking ability questionnaire. Independent Sample t-test and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze the differences in design thinking ability associated with Experiential Learning. The findings of the study indicated that in the Define phase, students grasping experience with Abstract conceptualization exhibited better performance than those who utilized Concrete experience. Conversely, in the Develop phase, students using Concrete experience showed better performance than those who employed Abstract conceptualization. In the Deliver phase, students transforming experience through Active experimentation achieved better results than those who utilized Reflective observation; furthermore, Converging and Accommodating performed better than Diverging and Assimilating. In sum, investigating design thinking ability from the viewpoint of Experiential Learning improved insight into design thinking and offered suggestions for design education.