ABSTRACT
Designing learning experiences that initially spark students' interests and sustain their engagement throughout the educational experience is difficult. This chapter explores how participatory design has shaped our interest-driven learning experiences into value-driven learning experiences. Meta-design is a technique designers use to create something that enables the users to act as the designers themselves. The chapter explores more traditional approaches to participatory design to uncover cultural values in the development of the Glitch Game Testers and the use of meta-design frameworks for participatory design of project-based learning activities in the Interactive Dia de Muertos Puppets. Participatory design can help researchers establish dialogues with participants and shift power structures that might inhibit participants from sharing. In the Glitch program, one method we used to help US establish a dialogue was a Neighborhood Tour. Meta-design within the Dia de Muertos puppet activity created an environment for the students to actively participate in designing their learning experience.
