Direct analysis design method is recommended as primary design method by several domestic and foreign steel structures design standards. However, textbooks and teaching contents of steel structures serial courses are obsolete, and are lagged behind the current standards and the discipline frontier. Based on above-mentioned issues, exploration and practice are implemented in steel structures serial courses on direct analysis design method. In theory teaching phase, the principle and idea of direct analysis method are taught step by step based on standard for design of steel structures. The basic concepts and implementation methods of the key points in the method are highlighted, such as overall structural imperfections, member imperfections, residual stress, joint stiffness and member eccentricity. In practical teaching phase, such as thesis for undergraduate and training programs of innovation and entrepreneurship for undergraduates, select topics related to direct analysis and make students more firmly grasp the core idea and design idea of the method. Through exploration and practice, students have mastered the design idea of direct analysis method, and the application ability and practical ability of relevant steel structure design and analysis software have been further improved. Furthermore, some research results have been obtained by students, and their scientific research level and innovation ability have also been obviously improved.