Sharda Sharma, an NIU doctoral candidate in Educational Technology and graduate assistant at the 71 North Partnership Studio, was recently published with co-author Dr. Pi-Sui Hsu in the International Journal of Designs for Learning! The article, titled “Designing Problems for Problem-Based Learning in an After-School Makerspace: A Narrative Design Case,” explores the iterative process of designing STEM learning experiences for middle school students. It highlights how real-world design challenges, stakeholder feedback, and instructional revisions shaped a scaffolded learning sequence involving unplugged coding, robotics, and smart-home prototyping. The study offers practical insights into problem-based learning, instructional design, and developing meaningful, hands-on STEM learning experiences.

Table from Sharma and Hsu, International Journal of Designs for Learning, 17(2), used under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.