IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

This paper reflects on the design and delivery of “Programming for Designers”, an undergraduate course positioned between media arts and design. The course introduces creative coding as both a technical foundation and a conceptual lens for examining how computational systems reshape creative practice. Students learn fundamentals through Processing and P5.js, engage with the works of over thirty contemporary artists, and explore advanced techniques such as cellular automata, blob detection, and optical flow. As the course progresses, they transition from hand-crafted coding to the use of generative AI, supported by a custom GPT tutor and an institutional EDU license. The pedagogical intention is to strengthen students’ creative agency by delaying AI assistance: students first build foundational coding literacy to better understand, question, and co-direct AI-generated code in the second part of the course. This pedagogical choice exposes a key tension in contemporary design education. While the majority of students articulate concerns around the risks of AI, such as reduced cognitive effort or standardised creativity, some continue to rely on it, even when restricted. This contradiction appears linked to workload, insecurity toward unfamiliar technical practices such as coding, and a broader cultural shift toward automation of creative practice. On the other hand, evidence from project work, class discussions, and reflective journals indicates that, despite early resistance, many students experience a positive shift in how they understand code as a medium for expression and experimentation. The paper offers insights for educators working at the intersection of design, creative coding, and AI, highlighting the pedagogical dilemmas and possibilities emerging in an era of rapidly automated creativity.