Short answer
Designers should explore creative and qualitative methods beyond surveys and interviews to deeply understand user perspectives, especially in educational settings.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Chemistry Education Research and Practice (2023)
- Method
- Qualitative research, specifically poetic content analysis.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Creative expression through poetry offers a unique lens into the emotional, social, and cognitive journeys of first-year STEM students. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Chemistry Education Research and Practice. Using Qualitative research, specifically poetic content analysis., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should explore creative and qualitative methods beyond surveys and interviews to deeply understand user perspectives, especially in educational settings.
Poetry reveals hidden student experiences in STEM
Creative expression through poetry offers a unique lens into the emotional, social, and cognitive journeys of first-year STEM students.
Chemistry Education Research and Practice · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Poetry analysis revealed four major themes: knowledge, community, emotions, and identity.
- 02These themes provide insights into well-documented aspects of first-year student academic experiences.
- 03Poetry can enhance understanding of student learning, belonging, and identity formation.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should explore creative and qualitative methods beyond surveys and interviews to deeply understand user perspectives, especially in educational settings.
How to apply
Use creative writing prompts or art-based activities as part of user research for educational products or curriculum development.
Project actions
- 01When researching user experiences, consider using creative methods like drawing, storytelling, or poetry.
- 02Think about how users might feel and what they might be thinking, not just what they do.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes a novel and creative method for qualitative data collection.
- +Provides deep insights into student experiences beyond surface-level data.
Limitations
The sample size might be small, and the interpretation of poetry can be subjective, meaning different people might see different things in the poems.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be enhanced through inter-rater reliability checks for poetry analysis. Validity is strengthened by the alignment of emergent themes with existing literature on student experiences.
Think critically
How might the subjective nature of interpreting poetry influence the validity of the findings, and what steps could be taken to mitigate this?
Design Principles
"Embrace diverse qualitative methods to uncover nuanced user experiences and emotional landscapes."
Understanding the holistic student experience, beyond just academic performance, is crucial for designing effective learning environments and support systems. This approach allows educators and curriculum designers to tap into nuanced perspectives that traditional assessments might miss.
What This Means for Your Design
Writing poems can help students express their feelings and thoughts about a course, and reading these poems can give teachers and designers a better idea of what students are really going through.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use poetry analysis as a method to gather qualitative data on user experiences in your design project.
- 2.Analyze the themes that emerge from creative user responses to inform your design decisions.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Qualitative research methods, such as poetic content analysis, can provide rich insights into user experiences. By analyzing original poetry written by users about their engagement with a specific context, it is possible to uncover themes related to their knowledge, community, emotions, and identity, thereby informing a more holistic and user-centered design approach.
Source
Chemistry Education Research and Practice
“I am here because I wanted to shine”: how poetry can be used to better understand undergraduate students’ first-year chemistry or related course experiences
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about poetry reveals hidden student experiences in stem?
- Designers should explore creative and qualitative methods beyond surveys and interviews to deeply understand user perspectives, especially in educational settings. Evidence: Chemistry Education Research and Practice (2023).
- Why does "Poetry reveals hidden student experiences in STEM" matter for design?
- Understanding the holistic student experience, beyond just academic performance, is crucial for designing effective learning environments and support systems. This approach allows educators and curriculum designers to tap into nuanced perspectives that traditional assessments might miss.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should explore creative and qualitative methods beyond surveys and interviews to deeply understand user perspectives, especially in educational settings.
- What were the main findings?
- Poetry analysis revealed four major themes: knowledge, community, emotions, and identity.. These themes provide insights into well-documented aspects of first-year student academic experiences.. Poetry can enhance understanding of student learning, belonging, and identity formation.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research, specifically poetic content analysis..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Chemistry Education Research and Practice.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Use creative writing prompts or art-based activities as part of user research for educational products or curriculum development.
- What are the limitations?
- The findings are specific to the context of first-year science students and may not be generalizable to all disciplines or student populations. The interpretation of poetry can be subjective.