Community-Centered Design Thinking as a Scalable STEM Learning Intervention - Volume 11 - Article

Oct 15, 2026

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The study evaluates the Ignite Water curriculum as a scalable and sustainable STEM intervention addressing opportunity gaps, SDG 4 (quality education), and SDG 6 (clean water). Using a human-centered design process, it examines whether a community-centered design thinking initiative can improve learners’ behavioral indicators, including knowledge, attitudes, and awareness. A mixed-methods Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices approach surveyed 697 participants across six schools to assess learning outcomes and related practices. Results show improved knowledge and awareness of local water contamination and strengthened self-efficacy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Overall Objective

Description of Ignite

Methods

Results

Conclusions

| | Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2023: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2 DOI: 10. 18260/3-1-1153-36042 Community-Centered Design Thinking as a Scalable Stem Learning Intervention KIMBERLY C. BREEN MARY ELIZABETH DOTSON MEGAN C. MADONNA Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University, Durham, NC, USA GABRIELA ASTURIAS DANIELA MARIUCCI PEÑA Fundación Desarrolla Guatemala para la Educación y Salud (FUNDEGUA) Guatemala City, Guatemala HOPE SPRINGATE Department of Biology Duke University Durham, NC, USA VALENTINA ALVAREZ Department of Global Health, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA NIRMALA RAMANUJAM Department of Biomedical Engineering, Global Health, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology Duke University Durham, NC USA ABSTRACT Background: Through the human-centered design process (HCD), students, referred to as learners, can use a personal lens to contextualize engineering concepts and solve real-world problems (Goldman and Kabayadondo 2016) . The Ignite program, created by the Center for Global Women’s Health Technologies (GWHT) at Duke University, integrates the HCD process into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to advance social justice through an iterative research-topractice methodology. Ignite fosters secondary school students’ ability to engineer viable solutions to pressing global issues outlined by the United Nations as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . Purpose: This work evaluates the efficacy of the Ignite Water curriculum as a scalable and sustainable intervention for STEM opportunity gaps, SDG \#4, and clean water, SDG \#6 . Ultimately, this work 2 2023: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2 ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Community-Centered Design Thinking as a Scalable Stem Learning Intervention investigates the ability of a community-centered design thinking initiative to transform learners’behavioral indicators, including their knowledge, attitude, and awareness. Methods: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (K. A. P. ) methodology was used to capture changes in three indicators of behavior change: (1) learners’ relevant content knowledge,(2) their attitudes towards STEM and (3) awareness of healthy water management practices. The mixed methods research tabulated survey data and interviews to determine best practices for STEM intervention programs. Of the 697 participants, 523 learners across 6 schools served as a sample population for this study. Results: The innovative Ignite program engaged a diverse population in engineering solutions for water pollution in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. The intervention increased students’ knowledge and awareness related to the local water contamination; especially, the causes of contamination and the treatment options. Female learners demonstrated an increase in self-efficacy in engineering careers, while male learners’ self-efficacy for math and community problem-solving increased. Overall, learners’ knowledge and awareness of water pollution and their attitudes towards STEM improved. Trainers echoed key findings in semi-structured interviews. Conclusions: Ignite, the sustainable and scalable intervention for social impact, integrated the HCD process with the SDGs to promote local problem solving, improve self-efficacy and broaden participation in engineering. Key words: Human-Centered Design, Social Justice, Engineering Education Graphical Abstract: Overview of the Ignite Water Intervention. INTRODUCTION Overall Objective The interdependence between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) creates opportunities for innovative, multifaceted approaches for global health (Clifford and Zaman 2016) . The SDGs are a set of 17 social, environmental, and economic objectives adopted by the United Nations for 2023: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 2 3 ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Community-Centered Design Thinking as a Scalable Stem Learning Intervention

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Ignite Water curriculum in this study?

To evaluate whether Ignite Water is an effective, scalable, sustainable STEM intervention for reducing opportunity gaps and supporting SDG 4 and SDG 6.

How did the researchers measure changes in learners’ behavior?

They used the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) methodology to capture changes in content knowledge, attitudes toward STEM, and awareness of healthy water management practices.

What were the key findings after the intervention?

The program increased learners’ knowledge and awareness about local water contamination, and it improved attitudes toward STEM; female learners increased self-efficacy in engineering careers while males increased self-efficacy in math and community problem-solving.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào