Effects of Generative Design Tools on Creativity of Undergraduate Visual Communication Design Students.

Abstract

As Visual Communication Design (VCD) industry eagerly adopts generative AI (GenAI) technologies, it becomes essential to evaluate their impact on educational outcomes for budding designers. This study aims to discover how integrating GenAI design tools alongside traditional design methods might enhance student creativity, all while respecting the enduring principles of design. We employ a mixed-methods approach in a quasi-experimental setting to compare the creativity of design projects completed with and without the aid of GenAI tools. To assess creativity accurately, we use the well-established 4C’s framework by James Kaufman and Ronald Beghetto, implemented through standardized, criterion-referenced rubrics. Objective evaluation of creativity will be followed by qualitative interviews to gather firsthand accounts of how GenAI influences students’ creative processes. This research is conducted with undergraduate VCD students, providing a controlled environment to compare outcomes. The primary focus of this study is to determine if GenAI tools for VCD genuinely enhance creativity of student design projects, leaving broader pedagogical implications for future studies. This study will help pave way for education researchers looking at the field of VCD and the possibilities of incorporating Generative technologies into design education.

Presenters

Sumera Gulzar
Student, PhD in Educational Technologies, University of Technology Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Design Education

KEYWORDS

Generative design, VCD, Creativity, Quasi-Experimental Design, Design Student, Design Education