Introduction
In recent decades, many countries have sought to address disparities and inequalities in education while measuring attainment (Rowley et al., 2020). The implementation of educational assessment frequently utilises a third-person perspective to guarantee standardisation and comparability of results, often perceiving participants as objects of research. However, incorporating tools that are dialogic and engage the sensory spectrum of human experience has the potential to illuminate the complex structures embedded within educational settings (Quigley, 2013).
Methodology
The SENSE project employs a multimodal evaluation methodology, facilitating comprehensive data collection that captures diverse sensory experiences. This approach ensures that the evaluation framework accurately reflects the lived realities and educational needs of participants (Heredia et al., 2016). By initially engaging participants through their sensory perceptions, we can gather insights into their varied approaches and understandings of natural phenomena, such as sound and light, rather than relying solely on scientific models as the basis for teaching (Dahlin, 2003). This sensory engagement offers vital insights into how individuals interpret and assign meaning to the world, and also elevates the value of their educational experiences, promoting inclusion and participation (Calabrese-Barton and Tan, 2020).
Our methodology integrates a range of quantitative, aesthetic and spatial tools to illustrate changes in practice from both first-person and third-person perspectives. The interventions designed by SENSE provide participants with the opportunity to engage in thoughtful design and creation processes. Manzini (2015) describes participatory design thinking as a process focused on achieving outcomes that are both “effective and meaningful” through user-centred, convivial solutions. This process necessitates renewal.
Approach
At the core of our approach is the minimization of hierarchy between coordinators, organizers, and participants. This collaborative framework aims to ensure that all stakeholders’ voices and experiences are heard equally. To achieve this, we adopted a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach, which focused on a set of conjectures regarding the potential outcomes associated with the SENSE.STEAM approach.
Distinct from traditional quantitative studies that seek evidentiary support or refutation of predetermined hypotheses, the term ‘conjecture’ in our methodology encompasses a range of possible and desirable impacts, all of which are contextually defined and equally valid. This approach renders the DBR approach suitable for application across diverse cultural and social settings. As Hoadley and Campos (2022) succinctly articulated, “DBR attempts to understand the world by trying to change it, making it an interventionist research method. However, DBR problematises the designed nature of interventions, recognising that the intended design may diverge from what is enacted in a complex social context, wherein both participants and designer-researchers possess agency” (Hoadley and Campos, 2022, p. 211).
Practice
In practice, our DBR approach enabled the inclusion of multiple co-evaluation activities, seamlessly integrated within the learning sequences designed by facilitators of STEAM Lab activities. This holistic approach encourages a wide exchange of perspectives and improves the evaluation process, thereby further enhancing the overall impact of the SENSE project in transforming STEAM education in Europe.