Keeping Voices in the Room: Values Clarification in Codesign for Equitable Science and Technology Education

Abstract

When engaging issues at the intersection of science and society, science centers, museums and other informal STEM learning organizations struggle to center perspectives of communities most often impacted by the unequal distribution of technologies' benefits and harms. Increasingly, participatory design is being utilized to do this, but the field must continue to refine methods for accessing the expertise of community partners and keeping it present across multiple design stages and products. We share a case study in which a multi-institution project team, developing resources for educational programming around radio frequency technologies, worked with community design to establish a values foundation that could guide initial planning and ongoing development. We share design methods adapted from values sensitive design and equity-centered researchpractice partnership, as well as insights relevant to enacting design practice that can build relational equity, leverage data across institutional boundaries, and span locations, platforms and levels of expertise. Colin Dixon is a researcher and educator focussed on science learning across settings. Colin received a Ph.D. from the UC Davis School of Education. He works to understand and co-create learning experiences that are equitable, inclusive and centered around what young people want to do in their worlds. Sherry Hsi leads Making Waves with Radio at BSCS Science Learning. Her research aims to support inquirybased STEM, equity, and learner agency in museums and out-of-school settings. Dr. Hsi received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering and Science Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Seth Van Doren received his B.A. degree in Chemistry from the University of California Berkeley in 2019 and is currently pursuing a PhD at UC Irvine. He researches authentic STEM investigations in K-12 settings, social learning, and increasing student epistemic agency.

Community‐informed design: Blending community engagement and museum design approaches for sustainable experience development

“…In sharing our story and recommendations, we add to the numerous models and stories already in existence concerning how to engage community voices in museum design (Dixon et al, 2023;Kadoyama, 2018;Kroning, 2017;MASS Action, 2017;McCarthy & Herring, 2015;Simon, 2010;Toonen, 2021). Changing museum cultures and experiences-particularly for equity and inclusion aims-requires a significant departure from existing museum norms of practice, from hiring to leadership to settings and collections to authority over stories told (Anila, 2017;Ash, 2022;Doering, 2020;Duclos-Orsello, 2013).…”