The ‘Progressive Design Method’ Development to promote Students’ Participation in Blended University Courses: Design-Based Research

In this case study, we employed the Design-Based Research (DBR) approach to explore the evolution of a teaching method, the Progressive Design Method (PDM), centered around peer feedback, specifically crafted to enhance student engagement within blended university courses. We examined the three successive iterations of the PDM, involving respectively 17 students, 29 students and 28 students, enrolled in a university course. The task for the students was to develop a project as a team and give feedback on their colleagues’ projects. The iterations were elucidated via Conjecture Mapping, while they were assessed through Productive Participation and Informative Participation within the online learning environment. The outcomes reveal that the iterative refinement of the design led to the identification of optimal PDM implementations, facilitating increased student participation and paving the way for innovative enhancements. Implications for the design of learning environments based on the PDM approach are discussed.