Instructional design in design education: Collaborating, adapting and customizing

The evolution of design education is essential to prepare designers to engage in complex problem-solving requiring a global vision and collaboration between different stakeholders. Future designers must acquire the skills to design projects that are socially, environmentally, and economically responsible and sustainable. This article presents preliminary results from doctoral research focused on Learning Experience Design (LXD), aimed at designing a learning experience tailored to the graphic design student body at Cégep de Sainte-Foy in Quebec City, Canada. LXD focuses on creating learner-centered learning experiences, fostering positive emotions and cognitive engagement through active learning. The research presented also introduces the concept of responsible entrepreneurship education, aimed at developing an entrepreneurial spirit and raising students' awareness of the impact of their design projects on society and the environment. The methodology of this mixed-methods research included a co-design workshop involving the student body, teaching staff, and support members specialized in pedagogical advice and responsible entrepreneurship, intending to generate ideas for the development of a responsible entrepreneurial learning experience. A questionnaire then revealed a strong preference among the student body for the idea of the “creative retreat”, which offers immersive and personalized learning. This research highlights the importance of a collaborative approach to instructional design, tailored and focused on personalizing learning for aspiring designers.