ABSTRACT
Material Selection can be considered a predicament for both students and designers during the creative process of design projects; the difficulty is related to the wide variety and complexity of raw materials. Critical thinking on the use of materials in product development requires approaches encompassing informed decisions during the selection of materials, which allows for responsible design and a response to the current crises established by the United Nations's economic, environmental, and social goals. This chapter presents a literature review on Materials in the Design Course and discusses pedagogical techniques, with the goal of creating a space for reflection on opportunities for the advancement of Design through the improvement of its teaching. Through a mixed methodology, the research began with a survey of the Design training programs of Portuguese universities and their materials curricula. After careful examination of the collected data, the comparative analysis helped to: understand and structure the main characteristics and methodologies; recognize significant patterns, both similarities, and differences between these programs; and identify challenges and possibilities discussed in the reviewed literature for the improvement of Design Education, offering some insight into different methods and pedagogical techniques/tools, which are believed to support the process of Material Selection. Evaluation, awareness, reviews, and potential adaptations to existing curricula can contribute to aligning contemporary design needs with disciplines that make students capable and highly receptive to various challenging roles within the industry.
