When Participatory Design Becomes Policy: Technology Comprehension in Danish Education

Abstract

While several studies have addressed the challenge of sustaining PD initiatives over time and supporting large-scale participatory processes, little is known about how PD and ideals fare on a national scale. We examine the process in which outcomes from a PD project were used and implemented as part of a mandatory course in Technology Comprehension in K9 education, commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Education. Our study is based on interviews with 12 people from the Danish educational sector, ranging from schoolteachers to the Minister of Education. Our findings demonstrate that while knowledge generated in a PD project can travel to the level of national policy, significant challenges emerge when outcomes from bottom-up PD is used in top-down policy. We conclude the paper by reflecting on how PD is equipped to create impact through policy.