Russell_2016_development.pdf (245.02 kB)
The development of an evaluation methodology to assess the efficacy of a furniture design for STEM education
journal contribution
posted on 2017-10-04, 11:51 authored by Donal Healion, Sam (National College of Art and Design) RussellThe nature of the delivery of education is changing. Traditional “chalk and talk”
methods of delivery, featuring hierarchical class structures where knowledge is handed
down to students from a teacher located at the front of the class are moving towards
collaborative and group learning methodologies where the teacher, as facilitator,
guides learners on their own journey of self-discovery. This change is particularly
prevalent in practice-based learning and collaborative problem-solving activities. These
activities are commonly used in the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) subjects. A feature of this type of educational methodology is
the use of collaborative, hands-on, open-ended projects and activities where learners
solve real-world problems by making and testing prototype solutions, typically
using programmable kits such as Arduino or Raspberry Pi. This type of project work
presents challenges in the provision of a suitable classroom environment and relevant
educational furniture as the work typically involves a diverse range of activities
carried out in a collaborative manner. Using a case study of the development of the
development of a Learning Analytics System (LAS) and a suitable physical environment
in which to deploy it, this article aims to describe the development of an evaluation
methodology, by which the efficacy of the proposed furniture design for STEM
education can be measured against criteria set out in the design brief. The findings
indicate that the application of an evaluation matrix with mixed method data inputs
can be used to rate the performance of a design and the conclusion points to other
potential scenarios to which this approach could be applied.
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ITERATIONS;04, pp. 24-31Publisher
ITERATIONSNote
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