Empowering Pupils To Explore Urban Environments. Identifying Contexts For Environmental Sensing Using Non-Functional Prototyping.

Abstract

When engaging in outdoor activities in public places, school pupils are exposed to environmental conditions such as heat and noise, as well as pollutants like particulate matter. This work investigates how school pupils can be made aware of these conditions, learn about their background, and reflect on the connection between outdoor activities and environmental conditions by enabling children to design non-functional, context-based environmental sensor artifacts in a three-stage workshop. A participatory workshop setting is introduced that identifies and describes the contexts of school pupils’ outdoor activities as well as relevant measured variables in these contexts. Furthermore, school pupils design prototypes for environmental sensor artifacts using creative materials such as fabrics, cardboard, and dummy electronic components. Results from three workshops with 57 pupils reveal contexts in which environmental sensing can be applied, and environmental education can be connected to their personal interests and daily routines. The workshop results include non-functional prototypes as the basis for further design steps toward functional environmental sensor artifacts. Feedback from practitioners and experts provides valuable insights into enhancing the workshop setting and its materials. The study contributes a structured participatory design approach that bridges pupils’ lived outdoor practices with environmental sensing concepts in lower secondary STEAM education. The outcome of our approach demonstrates how environmental education and the impact of environmental conditions on the realities faced by school pupils can be applied in STEAM education.