Design embodies a way of life, manifests values and orientation, and serves as a means of cultural change. For the economy and industry, as well as for work and life, the significance of design has been undisputed for decades. The social and cultural relevance of design continues to grow. Design, in the sense of creation and design, is becoming a strategy and model for shaping the future. However, the diverse teaching and learning material related to design is hardly prepared in schools and universities. An educational discourse on design is essential, especially since the self-understanding of design as applied art is no longer sufficient.

The new series "Design & Education" offers a platform for a thorough engagement with various topics in design pedagogy, which may include: socially relevant creativity, post-industrial life concepts, sustainable future design, cultural transformation, and much more. It addresses the significance of design at all educational levels (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary, encompassing lifelong learning) and sets impulses for research and development in connection with design science and educational science.

The first volume of the "Design & Education" series is dedicated to the focal theme of design didactics. The contributions compiled in this volume provide a rich and deep overview of the current state of discourse on design didactics and simultaneously reveal the ongoing need to address the phenomenon of design in its many facets as an educational science topic. The publication calls for intra- and interdisciplinary reflection. The discourse is open!.