This book is premised on the belief that design education based on a cognitive science approach can lead to significant improvements in the effectiveness of university design courses and to the future capabilities of practicing designers. This applies to all professional areas of design. The book grew out of publications and a workshop focusing on design education. This volume attempts to outline a framework upon which new efforts in design education might be based.

The book includes chapters dealing with six broad aspects of the study of design education: - Methodologies for undertaking studies of design learning - Longitudinal assessment of design learning - Methods and cases for assessing beginners, experts and special populations - Studies of important component processes - Structure of design knowledge - Design cognition in the classroom