Establishing the Problem
Understanding the barriers to student belonging and self-expression in contemporary school environments — and how design can bridge them.
The Challenge
In many schools today, students struggle to feel truly seen, heard, and valued. Despite efforts to promote inclusion, barriers such as fear of judgment, lack of representation, and limited outlets for authentic self-expression continue to hinder students’ sense of belonging.
Traditional approaches to student engagement often overlook emotional and creative ways of communicating identity, leaving many voices unheard. This gap between expression and understanding contributes to feelings of isolation and disconnection within school communities. Our Voices, Our Space addresses this challenge by exploring how visual communication and interactive design can create a platform that amplifies student voice and fosters meaningful dialogue around belonging.
The goal of this project is to develop an interactive installation that encourages reflection, celebrates individuality, and collects student perspectives around belonging.
Through participatory design, students become both the audience and collaborators — transforming a physical wall into a collective voice.
“Belonging is not a luxury—it’s a foundation for learning.”
– Blum, 2002
Research Question
How can interactive visual design be used to amplify student voice and foster a greater sense of belonging and self-expression within school environments?