Investigation of middle school eighth grade students' understanding of design: A case study

In this study, it is aimed to determine the structure that secondary school eighth grade students create in their minds during the product design process and what dimensions their understanding of this structure consists of, and the cognitive and affective aspects of the students on this subject. In line with this determined purpose, the research was conducted with fourteen eighth grade students selected according to the purposive sampling method in a secondary school in Bolu in the 2020-2021 academic year. The case study method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. The students' views on the design process were determined by drawing (ÜTÇF), questions about drawing (TBF), and individual interviews with the participants (TAGF). The data obtained were analyzed by the researcher and 1 expert with the content analysis method. It has been determined that the participants have a design understanding and the process; It is gathered around 4 themes: generating ideas, evaluating the product, critically evaluating the product, and emotions and thoughts that are effective in the process. It was determined that the students created designs by combining several existing technologies or adding additional features to existing technologies. While individual needs and problems are at the forefront with the idea of producing a product that has never been made before, which exists at the beginning of the design process, this understanding leaves its place to a more community-oriented and utilitarian understanding as the process progresses. The students designed products by considering the needs and problem situations of the society, and it was determined that the students' material knowledge levels shaped both the design process and the decisions they made during the process. Among the remarkable results is that the participants who want to design products that do not harm the environment do not prefer renewable energy sources in their designs. It has been determined that the participants have established a relationship between the more functional the products they design, the more their material value should be. It has been concluded that individuals set out for a certain purpose in the design process and do not avoid using material resources for this purpose. It is noteworthy that all the products designed by the participants are human-oriented designs, there are no designs for the improvement of nature or the needs of animals, and there is only one design aimed at facilitating the life of people with disabilities. KEYWORDS: Design, Science Education, Design Based Science Education