INFLUENCE OF COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL FACTORS ON DESIGN THINKING IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Abstract

The adoption of design thinking in engineering education as a problem-solving, innovative, and user-focused skill-building method has greatly increased. Nevertheless, the emotional and cognitive aspects of student participation in design thinking activities remains largely unexplored. This research examines the impact on outcomes of design thinking in an engineering context as shaped by cognitive attention, working memory, problem-solving methods, and emotional motivation, frustration, and empathy. Information was gathered using a mixed methods approach which included behavioral observation, self-report surveys, and physiological measures of heart rate variability and facial emotion recognition during design tasks. Findings show that emotional engagement enhances participant ideation and prototype creative expression and that cognitive overload during complex tasks can inhibit iterative problem-solving. Emotions such as curiosity and frustration were demonstrated as constructive engagement enhancers when properly managed. The research emphasizes the need to define learning environments that foster emotional self-management in tandem with cognitive flexibility. A proposed focus on adaptive design thinking engineering curriculum frameworks informs instructional aims as shifts in STEM education focus on technology integration and the next generation of emotionally responsive learning systems. These conclusions underpin the need for STEM education to focus on technology integration and the next generation of emotionally responsive learning systems.