Using design thinking hands-on learning to improve artificial intelligence application creativity: A study of brainwaves

In an era of rapidly developing artificial intelligence (AI), nurturing AI proficiency and innovation is critical to enhance individual, corporate, and national competitiveness. This study explored the effects of hands-on learning of design thinking (HLDT) on the creative performance and brainwaves of participants involved in an AI task. The study included 67 public university students from two classes who were also pre-service teachers. The experimental group received HLDT, while the comparison group received multimedia lecture-based instruction about DT. We found that HLDT significantly positively affected the novelty, feasibility, and value of the products that were created by the students. The effect on novelty was most substantial. In addition, it significantly positively affected various stages of the creative process, including discovery, definition, ideation, implementation, and refining. The effect on the refining stage was the most pronounced. Finally, it promoted higher levels of meditation during the discovery stage, with individuals feeling more relaxed and exhibiting lower beta and gamma activity. It also encouraged higher levels of attention and meditation during the ideation stage, aiding divergent thinking. Based on these findings, we propose practical teaching recommendations for suitable contexts and key instructional content for HLDT. Additionally, we suggest areas for future research.