Reinventing Secondary School through design - An investigation of a Polytechnic High School Model focused on industry/community-driven design projects

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo

This study examines the impact of a polytechnic high school model co-designed with a research-intensive university and industry/community partners. Designed for urban contexts and focused on minoritized youth, the model replaces traditional subject-based classes with industry-driven design project cycles. Pre/post surveys for seniors and teachers, plus follow-up surveys and alumni focus groups, assess effects on college and career readiness. Findings also address teachers' perceptions and implementation challenges, leading to actionable recommendations for polytechnic models in design-based STEM.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Traditional secondary education challenges

Integrated STEM and design-based learning

Polytechnic high school model background

Reinventing Secondary School through design: An investigation of a Polytechnic High School Model focused on industry/community-driven design projects Deana Lucas, Purdue University, USA Greg Strimel, Purdue University, USA Vanessa Santana, Purdue University, USA Abstract This study examines the impact of a polytechnic high school model designed in collaboration with a research-intensive university and industry/community partners. Aimed at urban settingsand focused on minoritized youth, this model replaces traditional subject-specific classes with industry-driven design project cycles. As design-based integrated STEM learning gains global traction, this research offers valuable insights. Pre/post surveys administered to seniors and teachers, along with follow-up surveys and focus groups with alumni during their first semester of college. This study explores the model’s effect on college and career readiness, teachers'perceptions of its effectiveness, and challenges encountered in implementing design-based instruction. Through an exploration of the model's successes and challenges, this study provides actionable recommendations for polytechnic models, contributing to the broader discourse on design-based STEM instruction. Keywords Design-based learning, Secondary School Transformation, Integrated STEM Education Introduction Calls for a reformation of secondary education in the United States persist among higher education institutions and employers, aiming to align learning with the evolving demands of our society (Indiana Commission for Higher Education, 2020) . Growing concern that high school graduates lack adequate preparation for college and are out of sync with anticipated workforce requirements. The traditional high school paradigm, characterized by fixed schedules, rote memorization, teacher-centered instruction, and standardized curricula, seen as ill-suited for success in contemporary society and the professional arena (Casner-Lotto & Barrington, 2006) . This conventional "factory model of education," described by Serafini (2002) as treating students as products and structuring education, accordingly, not originally designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, or other 21st-century skills (Wheatley, 2015) . Employers echo these concerns, perceiving a deficit in crucial workplace competencies among students, including communication, creativity, and critical thinking (Casner-Lotto & Barrington, 2006) . Secondary education provides students with a universal foundation of learning through curricula designed to help every student achieve similar levels of understanding or designated learning outcomes (Leland & Kasten, 2001) . To achieve these learning outcomes, schools have established disciplinary silos for teaching subjects like mathematics, science, history, and language arts. This siloed approach has been the dominant way that schools function and curricula have been structured. However, this siloing of disciplines can deprive students of opportunities to make valuable and authentic connections between subjects while in school (Kirwan et al., 2022) . According to Kirwan et al. (2022), the siloed educational system can cause inefficiencies in developing well-rounded and thorough instructional resources and curricula, which can directly impact student learning. This situation can be particularly challenging for schools serving diverse student populations, where traditional educational approaches may not align effectively with local cultures and communities (Paris, 2012) . Today, the challenges our world faces have become more complex, and education can be the key to developing the necessary skills students will need for their careers and lives to work toward these complex problems in the future (Hodge & Lear, 2011) . For example, the 2020 STEM education visioning report published by the National Science Foundation highlights the goal of creating transformative learning experien

FAQs

What is the core purpose of the polytechnic high school model studied in this research?

The model aims to transform secondary education by replacing fixed, subject-specific classes with industry/community-driven design project cycles within an integrated STEM framework.

Who are the study participants and how is data collected?

Seniors and teachers complete pre/post surveys, and follow-up surveys plus focus groups are conducted with alumni during their first college semester.

Which outcomes does the study evaluate regarding the model’s effectiveness?

The study assesses college and career readiness, teachers’ perceptions of effectiveness, and challenges encountered when implementing design-based instruction.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by OmBimo