A Study on the Mediating Role of Design Thinking in the Relationship Between AI-TPACK Teaching Strategy and Student Learning Outcomes

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming design education, but the cognitive mechanisms that explain how it improves learning outcomes are still unclear.To address this gap, this study incorporates "design thinking" into the technological integration framework, proposing a theoretical model where design thinking plays a crucial mediating role.The goal is to explore how the AI-TPACK teaching strategy affects student learning outcomes and satisfaction.A survey of Visual Communication Design students at Chinese universities was conducted, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM).The results show that AI-TPACK significantly enhances students' design thinking skills.Additionally, design thinking is not only a key predictor of learning outcomes and satisfaction but also serves as a significant mediator between AI-TPACK and these outcomes.The findings highlight that the core of AI-driven design education lies in the structured development of creative cognitive processes.This study provides a new theoretical perspective on the role of technology in teaching and offers practical insights for design educators to improve AI-integrated curricula.