An Educational Strategy to Enhance Students' Design Thinking Skills in Designing Covers for Stories from Egyptian Literary Heritage

Design thinking is a methodology based on finding solutions and innovation. It is a process that consists of five steps: observation, ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation. In this context, the research aims to employ design thinking strategies and visual thinking tools to develop students' innovative skills by using design elements to create new aesthetic values that can be achieved in the covers of printed books, through the application of stories from contemporary Egyptian literature. The research also aims to identify modern trends in design that can be used to move away from the conventional framework towards new design dimensions based on imagination and symbolism, which are compatible with the reader in light of the new technological advancements in the 21st century.



The study followed a descriptive-analytical approach in its theoretical framework and an experimental method in its practical framework by reviewing some designs of students' work in the third-year course of book design in the advertising department of the Faculty of Applied Arts, October 6 University. This was followed by a survey directed towards university students to measure their opinions on the success of the printed book cover design in achieving its goals when applied to stories from the Egyptian literary heritage. Through the research, a number of results were reached, including emphasizing the importance of developing the design of heritage stories from contemporary Egyptian literature and having a good visual relationship between the design concept, form, and content of the cover. It is also necessary to use modern methods in design to enrich the aesthetic aspects of the printed book cover, in addition to focusing on employing interactive techniques in literary stories and novels that can be integrated to affect young people and teenagers, increase their cultural awareness, and change their reading habits. One of the most important recommendations was to employ design thinking strategies to enhance students' innovative skills in design courses in general, given their importance in developing teaching strategies and creative thinking methods.