Engaging solution-based design process for integrated STEM program development: an exploratory study through autoethnographic design practice

The role of design in the exploration of integrated Science , Technology , Engineering , and Mathematics (STEM) education has rapidly expanded in recent years. Design has made an important contribution by providing instructional scaffolds in synthesising knowledge from multiple disciplines to solve real-world problems. Despite the potential of Design-based Pedagogy (DBP), there is a paucity of applicable DBP process models for constructing integrated STEM tasks and formulating implementation approaches. To address this issue, we enquire into the Solution-based Design Process (SBDP) that reconciles curriculum content knowledge and teaching through authentic problem finding and solving. Through an exploratory study of a self-critical reflection in autoethnographic design practice, we explore how the optimised SBDP can inform (i) The design skills and mindsets of DBP for integrated STEM education , and (ii) The instructional processes for constructing and implementing integrated STEM tasks involving design models. As found in this study, a unique feature of the Solution-based DBP is that it relates to the processes of thinking and reasoning—highly cognitive and logical; its application requires the skilled operation of 3D printing-based digital fabrication. Additionally, we demonstrated a Solution-based DBP, combined with 3D printing-based digital fabrication, and providing teachers with a structural blueprint for developing integrated STEM programs. Overall, this research contributes to the corpus of methodologically rigorous and evidence-based studies on design-led integrated STEM curriculums in the context of a specific country’s education system.