Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Based on decades of empirical research, metacognition, or the ability to reflect on one’s thinking processes has been found to play a significant role in student learning and academic development. Since the early 2000s, there are an increasing number of studies on the role of metacognition in learning and performance. However, research on the nature of metacognitive processing in design education and how metacognitive strategies develop in design students is not sufficient. This paper will focus on the process of learning; both in terms of design-making and design-thinking specified as metacognitive learning. The main purpose of the inquiry is to develop a theoretical framework to better understand the metacognitive thinking processes that occur in design students. This study uses a qualitative research methodology to develop the theoretical framework. This framework provides insights as to when metacognitive thinking occurs and how various components of metacognition interact with each other. The research reveals that metacognitive thinking plays a significant role in design idea generation and development and it is also an important part of the creative process in design.