Develop Design Thinking in Interaction Design Course by Applying Problem-based Learning Model

The new industrial design field is growing into a highly comprehensive and integrated discipline, which puts design thinking as a requirement for interaction design students. This paper focuses on how to use Problem-based Learning (PBL) in teaching interaction design to help undergraduates develop design thinking. Design thinking is a collaborative problem-solving and human-centred approach that promotes innovation by enhancing the creative thinking abilities of participants. PBL provides a learning model where students start from the problem, learn to grasp the key of the question, and propose solutions, thus effectively cultivating comprehensive ability and developing design thinking throughout the course. The purpose of this paper is to explore the PBL teaching method for undergraduates majoring in interaction design. We made corresponding teaching designs, reflected on strategies that could be improved in the curriculum, and discussed the possibilities and challenges of PBL curriculum development.