Title: An image generative AI-empowered watch-summarise-question-illustrate approach to enhancing students' learning motivation, self-efficacy and creative thinking in sustainable product design

Authors: Min-Chi Chiu

Addresses: Department of Multimedia Design, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

Abstract: As drawing education increasingly values sustainability and creative thinking, product design courses require more inspiring and technology-enhanced instructional strategies. This study integrates generative AI image applications into the watch-summarise-question-illustrate (WSQI) blended learning model to support idea generation and visual expression. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 60 undergraduate students from two product design-related classes in central Taiwan. The experimental group (N = 30) adopted the AI-supported WSQI model (IGAI-WSQI), while the control group (N = 30) used the conventional WSQI (C-WSQI). Results showed that the IGAI-WSQI group outperformed the control group in learning motivation, self-efficacy, and creative thinking tendencies. This demonstrates the effectiveness of generative AI in addressing learners' limitations in drawing skills and visual imagination, thereby enhancing design thinking and creative performance. The study highlights the educational potential of generative AI in sustainable product design learning.

Keywords: creative thinking tendencies; self-efficacy; generative AI; WSQI; mobile learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2026.152813

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2026 Vol.20 No.2, pp.157 - 187

Received: 01 May 2025
Accepted: 25 Jul 2025
Published online: 13 Apr 2026 *

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