Analysing the Limitations of Bauhausian Pedagogies in Contemporary Design Education From a Neuroscience Perspective

Abstract Design, as a vital force driving social progress and cultural development, is now being revisited through advances in neuroscience, which provide new insights into its cognitive foundations. The Bauhausian, a pioneer of modern design education, has had a lasting influence on contemporary pedagogy. However, traditional methods face challenges in light of evolving neuroscientific knowledge. First, its strategy centred on spiritual introspection and perceptual training can stimulate creative thinking, yet the lack of a systematic understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying creativity restricts the internalisation of cognitive strategies and knowledge systems. Second, the practice‐oriented model of ‘learning‐by‐doing’ reinforces procedural memory and skill automatisation but may inhibit higher‐order prefrontal cognitive functions, thereby constraining cognitive flexibility. Third, the principle of prioritising form and function relatively neglects the cultivation of emotion and social cognition, which may diminish the humanistic care and emotional resonance of design outcomes. By reinterpreting Bauhausian pedagogies through the lens of neuroscience, this paper seeks to provide both theoretical grounding and practical insights for innovation in contemporary design education, underscoring that the integration of neuroscientific findings can help build a more systematic and adaptive educational paradigm.