Abstract This article evaluates the use of metaphors as a technique for prompting creative thinking in design education, specifically within the context of a university pre‐entry foundation course, ‘Introduction to Design’ in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both the student transition to higher education and global standardization practices in higher education present challenges when fostering creative thinking. With metaphorical thinking exercises and a mind‐wandering method, students are encouraged to pursue creative connections with disparate topics, moving beyond literalism to more conceptual and imaginative ideas. The study's methodological framework is grounded in an art‐based action research approach, which positions the lecturer as a reflective practitioner and encourages a participatory role from students. Our critical reflection suggests that while students generally respond positively to a metaphorical teaching technique, a portion struggle with the transition from rote or standardized learning to creative ideation. Despite these challenges, the metaphor technique along with mind wandering present distinct pedagogical value, particularly in promoting creative thinking processes that enable students to articulate creative ideas visually. As an accessible critical pedagogy, the metaphor technique supports a participatory approach not only for design education but other creative, artistic, and academic contexts. More broadly, we argue that metaphor exercises can help with a wider educational mission of moving towards an environment that privileges creativity as an intrinsic, rather than merely functional, performative capacity.
Nolan‐Bock et al. (Wed,) studied this question.