Participatory design in secondary education: is it a good idea? Students’ and teachers’ opinions on its desirability and feasibility

Abstract

Research has shown the importance of students’ perceptions of a learning environment and the existence of discrepancies between students’ and teachers’ perceptions. Participatory design could be a helpful strategy to reduce such discrepancies and eventually improve the design of learning environments, as it has proven to be effective to optimize design in other domains. The current study investigated the desirability and feasibility of possible use of participatory design in education. Students and teachers in secondary education were interviewed about their opinions on the idea of participatory design of a learning environment. Both students and teachers displayed predominantly positive opinions towards possibly engaging in participatory design, supporting its desirability and feasibility. Practical suggestions for implementation are included.