Short answer
Designers must move beyond surface-level solutions and critically examine the underlying systemic structures that influence user experience, particularly for marginalized groups, to foster true agency and subjectivity.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- International Journal of Special Education (IJSE) (2023)
- Method
- Qualitative study using focus group interviews.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
The pandemic's disruption to education disproportionately impacted students with special educational needs, exposing and exacerbating existing systemic issues that limit their sense of subjectivity, agency, and freedom of choice. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in International Journal of Special Education (IJSE). Using Qualitative study using focus group interviews., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers must move beyond surface-level solutions and critically examine the underlying systemic structures that influence user experience, particularly for marginalized groups, to foster true agency and subjectivity.
Pandemic highlighted pre-existing systemic barriers for students with special needs, diminishing their sense of agency and freedom.
The pandemic's disruption to education disproportionately impacted students with special educational needs, exposing and exacerbating existing systemic issues that limit their sense of subjectivity, agency, and freedom of choice.
International Journal of Special Education (IJSE) · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Students with special educational needs reported a low sense of subjectivity in education.
- 02The low sense of subjectivity for these students was primarily attributed to systemic issues within the educational system, rather than solely pandemic-related challenges.
- 03Teachers and parents generally reported a higher sense of subjectivity, particularly in areas of responsibility and agency.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers must move beyond surface-level solutions and critically examine the underlying systemic structures that influence user experience, particularly for marginalized groups, to foster true agency and subjectivity.
How to apply
When designing educational programs, platforms, or policies, conduct thorough user research with diverse student groups, paying close attention to their reported sense of agency, freedom, and partnership. Use these insights to advocate for and implement systemic changes that enhance their subjective experience.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, specifically ask about their sense of control, choice, and how they feel treated as partners in the design or educational process.
- 02Consider how your design might inadvertently reinforce existing systemic inequalities or disempowerment.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on a critical and often overlooked aspect of user experience: sense of subjectivity and agency.
- +Provides rich qualitative data from multiple stakeholder perspectives.
Limitations
The qualitative nature of the study means findings are subjective and may not represent all experiences. The specific systemic issues identified are unique to the context studied.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of focus groups provides rich, in-depth data (high validity for understanding experiences), but generalizability may be limited (potential for lower reliability across different contexts). Triangulation of data from students, teachers, and parents enhances validity.
Think critically
How might the design of digital learning platforms be intentionally structured to foster a greater sense of agency and freedom of choice for students with diverse needs, moving beyond accessibility features to address systemic limitations?
Design Principles
"Empowerment through systemic design: Design interventions should aim to fundamentally alter systems that disempower users, rather than merely adapting to temporary conditions."
Understanding how educational systems inherently affect a student's sense of agency is crucial for designing inclusive and empowering learning environments. This research emphasizes that design interventions must address systemic barriers, not just temporary disruptions, to truly support user subjectivity.
What This Means for Your Design
The pandemic made it clear that some students, especially those with special needs, already felt like they had very little say in their education. This wasn't just because of COVID-19, but because the school system itself often limits their choices and control. Teachers and parents generally felt they had more control.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the importance of exploring user agency and systemic barriers in your user research phase.
- 2.Reference the findings when discussing the limitations of current systems or the need for user-centered design approaches that prioritize empowerment.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study highlights that educational systems can inherently limit a user's sense of subjectivity, particularly for students with special educational needs, by diminishing their agency and freedom of choice. This underscores the importance of user research that delves beyond surface-level usability to uncover and address systemic barriers that impact user empowerment and their overall experience within a given context.
Source
International Journal of Special Education (IJSE)
Being the Subject of Education – Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Experiences of Students With Disabilities, Their Teachers and Parents
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about pandemic highlighted pre-existing systemic barriers for students with special needs, diminishing their sense of agency and freedom?
- Designers must move beyond surface-level solutions and critically examine the underlying systemic structures that influence user experience, particularly for marginalized groups, to foster true agency and subjectivity. Evidence: International Journal of Special Education (IJSE) (2023).
- Why does "Pandemic highlighted pre-existing systemic barriers for students with special needs, diminishing their sense of agency and freedom." matter for design?
- Understanding how educational systems inherently affect a student's sense of agency is crucial for designing inclusive and empowering learning environments. This research emphasizes that design interventions must address systemic barriers, not just temporary disruptions, to truly support user subjectivity.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers must move beyond surface-level solutions and critically examine the underlying systemic structures that influence user experience, particularly for marginalized groups, to foster true agency and subjectivity.
- What were the main findings?
- Students with special educational needs reported a low sense of subjectivity in education.. The low sense of subjectivity for these students was primarily attributed to systemic issues within the educational system, rather than solely pandemic-related challenges.. Teachers and parents generally reported a higher sense of subjectivity, particularly in areas of responsibility and agency.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative study using focus group interviews..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from International Journal of Special Education (IJSE).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing educational programs, platforms, or policies, conduct thorough user research with diverse student groups, paying close attention to their reported sense of agency, freedom, and partnership. Use these insights to advocate for and implement systemic changes that enhance their subjective experience.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are based on qualitative data and may not be generalizable to all educational contexts or populations. The specific systemic issues identified are context-dependent.