Designing IDEA Interventions in Project-Based STEM Curriculum
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Abstract
This paper presents an overarching design and structure of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) curriculum, developed for a project-based engineering and computer science program to address social inequity in STEM education and beyond. Grounded in social justice principles and informed by cognitive psychology and social constructivist theory, the curriculum weaves targeted interventions into everyday coursework. A nine-part analytical framework guided the development of sixteen modules organized into four thematic areas, with each module following a three-week cycle across four semesters. This paper introduces one IDEA module as a case study to demonstrate alignment with the framework and the impact on student engagement and learning outcomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of implementation challenges, and strategies for improving accessibility and adapting content for broader academic and professional contexts.
Department
Integrated Engineering
Recommended Citation
Croffie, M., Gresbrink, E., & Bates, R. (2025). Designing IDEA interventions in project-based STEM curriculum. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works, Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/ie-fac-pubs/118
