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Arts & Communication Fostering belonging through STEAM education

to boost student participation and learning outcomes learning experience that combined art appreciation with
through a STEAM project that integrated design thinking practical design skills. By following the design thinking
principles. Typically, such courses end with written framework, students established a stronger bond with
assessments focusing on art fundamentals, movements, the community theme and refined their skills in creating
and general knowledge. To depart from standard tests, the meaningful board games tailored to specific contexts. The
instructor opted for a more engaging approach to evaluate project nurtured a deeper understanding of both artistic
student understanding. and functional design elements, illustrating how creativity
and critical thinking can be creatively applied in an
The project engaged 27 students who collaborated
individually or in small groups to create a board game educational setting.
themed around community life in Nacogdoches, Texas. 3.2. Research method
This theme served as the foundation for their creative
process, encouraging exploration of local elements, such The “teacher as researcher” approach is a widely
as historical landmarks, cuisine, culture, environment, and recognized method in teacher education, wherein
educators critically reflect on their teaching practices
social interactions in Texas’ oldest town.
to enhance future instructional strategies. This method
Following the design thinking framework, students involves the collection of multidimensional data to inform
engaged in a thorough process. The work began with and improve educational practices. In this study, data were
the empathy phase, where they conducted research and collected from several sources: the teacher’s notes at each
immersed themselves in Nacogdoches to understand its stage of the project, students’ consultation sheets with
unique characteristics and challenges. By examining the the makerspace technician, observations of in-class role-
perspectives and experiences of local residents, students playing during board game activities, group presentations
developed board game concepts that were authentic and of the board games, artist statements, and the final board
relevant to the community. game products.
During the ideation phase, students generated diverse Narrative inquiry was selected because it allows
ideas for their board games, exploring ways to integrate participants to articulate personal experiences, capturing
community elements into game mechanics, goals, and the complexities of students’ evolving connection to their
themes. This creative process enabled them to explore academic and social environments. In this study, students’
multiple possibilities and refine their concepts to capture reflections on the board game design process provided rich,
the essence of Nacogdoches. descriptive accounts of how their participation influenced

Moving on to the prototyping stage, they translated their sense of belonging. By analyzing these narratives, we
their ideas into physical prototypes using tools, such as examined how students formed meaningful connections
Tinkercad for 3D modeling and Adobe Illustrator for to their university, their peers, and the local community.
graphics. Through iterative design and feedback sessions To assess changes in students’ sense of belonging, a
with makerspace staff, they refined their prototypes to pre- and post-survey using open-ended questions was
ensure both practicalities in design and engagement in administered to evaluate their connection to the university
gameplay. or the local community. The pre-survey questions included:
“What are your favorite places within the university or
In the testing phase, students gathered feedback from
peers by testing their prototypes and observing gameplay. local community? Why do you choose these places? What
stories are associated with these places? If you were to
Each group received constructive input for further promote a sense of belonging to the university or local
improvement. They continuously adjusted and enhanced community, what stories would you share with others?”
their games through real-life interactions, aiming to The post-survey asked: “How have your thoughts changed
improve both the fun factor and the reflection of the before and after creating the community-focused board
community’s essence.
game in terms of increasing your sense of belonging to the
In the end, they showcased their finished board games university or local community? Who would be the target
to the class, discussed their design decisions, and shared audience for playing your board game?”
insights on how their games captured Nacogdoches’ spirit. To assess how students’ sense of belonging evolved
Students also provided instructions and a summary card throughout the project, this study applied a qualitative
showcasing the game’s objectives and unique elements.
thematic analysis to students’ reflections, guided by
This innovative method not only replaced traditional Strayhorn’s framework of academic belonging. Student
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testing but also provided students with an interactive responses were coded based on three key indicators:

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 6 doi: 10.36922/ac.4437