Cellyn Tan
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🔥 from hesitation to exploration
🔥 from hesitation to exploration
🔥 from hesitation to exploration
# about
A research paper work in progress for ISATE conference 2025 on pedagogical innovation.
∙ Research
∙ pedagogy
# process
This exercise stemmed from this big question of how can I give back agency to students as they learn the foundations of conceptualisation and risk-taking and figuring out constraints? Could the GPT be less of a handicap and more of a proactive toolkit member that I can induct within the class?
# orchestrating momentum
Part of the facilitated exercises is to sandwich and test the dynamic of the creative process through fast-paced workshop sessions.
Students first starts out peer-ideating and getting comfortable on the receiving end.
They then get to simmer the ideas on their own after the ideation and then use a custom GPT to further branch out.
They then get invited to put their mindmaps and work in progress on the whiteboard for a critique session with me and other peers.
# process
This exercise stemmed from this big question of how can I give back agency to students as they learn the foundations of conceptualisation and risk-taking and figuring out constraints? Could the GPT be less of a handicap and more of a proactive toolkit member that I can induct within the class?
# orchestrating momentum
Part of the facilitated exercises is to sandwich and test the dynamic of the creative process through fast-paced workshop sessions.
Students first starts out peer-ideating and getting comfortable on the receiving end.
They then get to simmer the ideas on their own after the ideation and then use a custom GPT to further branch out.
They then get invited to put their mindmaps and work in progress on the whiteboard for a critique session with me and other peers.
Status
Work in Progress
School
Diploma of Communication Design, School of Design, TP.
From hesitation to exploration: Fostering student agency in open-ended design education with AI and peer-led checkpoints
From hesitation to exploration: Fostering student agency in open-ended design education with AI and peer-led checkpoints
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
Navigating ambiguity is a critical yet challenging skill for design students, particularly in open-ended creative briefs that demand independent thinking. Many struggle with uncertainty, fearing failure and seeking instructor validation rather than engaging in iterative problem-solving. This hesitation stems from prior educational experiences that emphasise directive instruction, making it difficult for students to confidently externalise and refine their ideas. Without structured support, they often delay engagement with open-ended tasks, limiting their capacity for critical exploration and conceptual development.
This paper presents an experimental teaching and learning strategy implemented in Studio Project 2, a Year 2 subject in Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design (Communication Design). The subject requires students to navigate an open-ended, fast-paced design challenge, applying emerging technologies to craft and execute innovative creative proposals. The experiment focused on Student-Led Checkpoints, a structured approach that prioritises momentum-building, peer collaboration, and iterative ideation. Key interventions included whiteboarding sessions, peer critiques, and scaffolded ideation exercises to encourage students to share and refine their thinking early. Additionally, students engaged with a custom GPT tool before whiteboarding to guide speculative conceptualisation. Rather than replacing human feedback, this AI-enabled tool functioned as a cognitive partner, structuring exploratory prompts that pushed students to question and refine their ideas critically.
To assess the impact of this strategy, survey data was collected from students on their confidence in handling ambiguity, engagement with ideation exercises, and perceived effectiveness of the intervention. The findings revealed a positive shift in student mindset, with many demonstrating greater confidence in unpacking complex briefs, shifting from hesitation to proactive exploration. Peer discussions became more student-driven, and the language around ambiguity evolved from avoidance to excitement. Whiteboarding provided a bridge between speculative AI-assisted ideation and tangible creative articulation, reinforcing the importance of human-led critique and discussion.
This experiment underscores a broader shift in how educators must reposition themselves in AI-integrated classrooms. The role of the educator is not diminished by AI but revitalised—we become facilitators who guide students in interpreting, questioning, and contextualising AI-driven insights within their own design thinking process. However, as we embrace digitalisation in both our tools and teaching strategies, it is critically important to consider the entire learning process as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than isolated tools or activities in a vacuum. Learning is shaped by the interplay between digital interventions and physical classroom engagement, and thoughtful orchestration of these elements is essential for meaningful student development.
As we innovate teaching methods for design and other complex subjects, it is essential to recognize learning as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than a collection of separate tools and activities. While digital interventions such as AI-enhanced guidance can scaffold learning, meaningful student agency is cultivated through active facilitation, peer interactions, and hands-on iteration in a physical space. This study highlights the necessity of thoughtful orchestration between digital support and real-world engagement, reinforcing student agency, iterative thinking, and confidence in ambiguity. By designing learning environments that balance structured guidance with opportunities for independent exploration, we can empower students to become independent thinkers who leverage technology without losing ownership of their creative process.
Navigating ambiguity is a critical yet challenging skill for design students, particularly in open-ended creative briefs that demand independent thinking. Many struggle with uncertainty, fearing failure and seeking instructor validation rather than engaging in iterative problem-solving. This hesitation stems from prior educational experiences that emphasise directive instruction, making it difficult for students to confidently externalise and refine their ideas. Without structured support, they often delay engagement with open-ended tasks, limiting their capacity for critical exploration and conceptual development.
This paper presents an experimental teaching and learning strategy implemented in Studio Project 2, a Year 2 subject in Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design (Communication Design). The subject requires students to navigate an open-ended, fast-paced design challenge, applying emerging technologies to craft and execute innovative creative proposals. The experiment focused on Student-Led Checkpoints, a structured approach that prioritises momentum-building, peer collaboration, and iterative ideation. Key interventions included whiteboarding sessions, peer critiques, and scaffolded ideation exercises to encourage students to share and refine their thinking early. Additionally, students engaged with a custom GPT tool before whiteboarding to guide speculative conceptualisation. Rather than replacing human feedback, this AI-enabled tool functioned as a cognitive partner, structuring exploratory prompts that pushed students to question and refine their ideas critically.
To assess the impact of this strategy, survey data was collected from students on their confidence in handling ambiguity, engagement with ideation exercises, and perceived effectiveness of the intervention. The findings revealed a positive shift in student mindset, with many demonstrating greater confidence in unpacking complex briefs, shifting from hesitation to proactive exploration. Peer discussions became more student-driven, and the language around ambiguity evolved from avoidance to excitement. Whiteboarding provided a bridge between speculative AI-assisted ideation and tangible creative articulation, reinforcing the importance of human-led critique and discussion.
This experiment underscores a broader shift in how educators must reposition themselves in AI-integrated classrooms. The role of the educator is not diminished by AI but revitalised—we become facilitators who guide students in interpreting, questioning, and contextualising AI-driven insights within their own design thinking process. However, as we embrace digitalisation in both our tools and teaching strategies, it is critically important to consider the entire learning process as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than isolated tools or activities in a vacuum. Learning is shaped by the interplay between digital interventions and physical classroom engagement, and thoughtful orchestration of these elements is essential for meaningful student development.
As we innovate teaching methods for design and other complex subjects, it is essential to recognize learning as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than a collection of separate tools and activities. While digital interventions such as AI-enhanced guidance can scaffold learning, meaningful student agency is cultivated through active facilitation, peer interactions, and hands-on iteration in a physical space. This study highlights the necessity of thoughtful orchestration between digital support and real-world engagement, reinforcing student agency, iterative thinking, and confidence in ambiguity. By designing learning environments that balance structured guidance with opportunities for independent exploration, we can empower students to become independent thinkers who leverage technology without losing ownership of their creative process.
Navigating ambiguity is a critical yet challenging skill for design students, particularly in open-ended creative briefs that demand independent thinking. Many struggle with uncertainty, fearing failure and seeking instructor validation rather than engaging in iterative problem-solving. This hesitation stems from prior educational experiences that emphasise directive instruction, making it difficult for students to confidently externalise and refine their ideas. Without structured support, they often delay engagement with open-ended tasks, limiting their capacity for critical exploration and conceptual development.
This paper presents an experimental teaching and learning strategy implemented in Studio Project 2, a Year 2 subject in Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design (Communication Design). The subject requires students to navigate an open-ended, fast-paced design challenge, applying emerging technologies to craft and execute innovative creative proposals. The experiment focused on Student-Led Checkpoints, a structured approach that prioritises momentum-building, peer collaboration, and iterative ideation. Key interventions included whiteboarding sessions, peer critiques, and scaffolded ideation exercises to encourage students to share and refine their thinking early. Additionally, students engaged with a custom GPT tool before whiteboarding to guide speculative conceptualisation. Rather than replacing human feedback, this AI-enabled tool functioned as a cognitive partner, structuring exploratory prompts that pushed students to question and refine their ideas critically.
To assess the impact of this strategy, survey data was collected from students on their confidence in handling ambiguity, engagement with ideation exercises, and perceived effectiveness of the intervention. The findings revealed a positive shift in student mindset, with many demonstrating greater confidence in unpacking complex briefs, shifting from hesitation to proactive exploration. Peer discussions became more student-driven, and the language around ambiguity evolved from avoidance to excitement. Whiteboarding provided a bridge between speculative AI-assisted ideation and tangible creative articulation, reinforcing the importance of human-led critique and discussion.
This experiment underscores a broader shift in how educators must reposition themselves in AI-integrated classrooms. The role of the educator is not diminished by AI but revitalised—we become facilitators who guide students in interpreting, questioning, and contextualising AI-driven insights within their own design thinking process. However, as we embrace digitalisation in both our tools and teaching strategies, it is critically important to consider the entire learning process as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than isolated tools or activities in a vacuum. Learning is shaped by the interplay between digital interventions and physical classroom engagement, and thoughtful orchestration of these elements is essential for meaningful student development.
As we innovate teaching methods for design and other complex subjects, it is essential to recognize learning as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than a collection of separate tools and activities. While digital interventions such as AI-enhanced guidance can scaffold learning, meaningful student agency is cultivated through active facilitation, peer interactions, and hands-on iteration in a physical space. This study highlights the necessity of thoughtful orchestration between digital support and real-world engagement, reinforcing student agency, iterative thinking, and confidence in ambiguity. By designing learning environments that balance structured guidance with opportunities for independent exploration, we can empower students to become independent thinkers who leverage technology without losing ownership of their creative process.
From hesitation to exploration: Fostering student agency in open-ended design education with AI and peer-led checkpoints
ABSTRACT
Navigating ambiguity is a critical yet challenging skill for design students, particularly in open-ended creative briefs that demand independent thinking. Many struggle with uncertainty, fearing failure and seeking instructor validation rather than engaging in iterative problem-solving. This hesitation stems from prior educational experiences that emphasise directive instruction, making it difficult for students to confidently externalise and refine their ideas. Without structured support, they often delay engagement with open-ended tasks, limiting their capacity for critical exploration and conceptual development.
This paper presents an experimental teaching and learning strategy implemented in Studio Project 2, a Year 2 subject in Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design (Communication Design). The subject requires students to navigate an open-ended, fast-paced design challenge, applying emerging technologies to craft and execute innovative creative proposals. The experiment focused on Student-Led Checkpoints, a structured approach that prioritises momentum-building, peer collaboration, and iterative ideation. Key interventions included whiteboarding sessions, peer critiques, and scaffolded ideation exercises to encourage students to share and refine their thinking early. Additionally, students engaged with a custom GPT tool before whiteboarding to guide speculative conceptualisation. Rather than replacing human feedback, this AI-enabled tool functioned as a cognitive partner, structuring exploratory prompts that pushed students to question and refine their ideas critically.
To assess the impact of this strategy, survey data was collected from students on their confidence in handling ambiguity, engagement with ideation exercises, and perceived effectiveness of the intervention. The findings revealed a positive shift in student mindset, with many demonstrating greater confidence in unpacking complex briefs, shifting from hesitation to proactive exploration. Peer discussions became more student-driven, and the language around ambiguity evolved from avoidance to excitement. Whiteboarding provided a bridge between speculative AI-assisted ideation and tangible creative articulation, reinforcing the importance of human-led critique and discussion.
This experiment underscores a broader shift in how educators must reposition themselves in AI-integrated classrooms. The role of the educator is not diminished by AI but revitalised—we become facilitators who guide students in interpreting, questioning, and contextualising AI-driven insights within their own design thinking process. However, as we embrace digitalisation in both our tools and teaching strategies, it is critically important to consider the entire learning process as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than isolated tools or activities in a vacuum. Learning is shaped by the interplay between digital interventions and physical classroom engagement, and thoughtful orchestration of these elements is essential for meaningful student development.
As we innovate teaching methods for design and other complex subjects, it is essential to recognize learning as a holistic digital-physical experience rather than a collection of separate tools and activities. While digital interventions such as AI-enhanced guidance can scaffold learning, meaningful student agency is cultivated through active facilitation, peer interactions, and hands-on iteration in a physical space. This study highlights the necessity of thoughtful orchestration between digital support and real-world engagement, reinforcing student agency, iterative thinking, and confidence in ambiguity. By designing learning environments that balance structured guidance with opportunities for independent exploration, we can empower students to become independent thinkers who leverage technology without losing ownership of their creative process.