Engineering Empathy and Inclusive Design in STEM-IoT Project: A Case Study of Adaptive Curriculum Strategy in Junior High School

• Mulyadi Mulyadi

  Indonesia University of Education

  Author

• Rudi Susilana

  Indonesia University of Education

  Author

The increasing complexity of disaster-prone environments in Indonesia highlights the need for STEM learning models that cultivate both technical competence and human-centered design awareness. Yet, limited research has examined how STEM–IoT activities grounded in Design Thinking can simultaneously shape student empathy and teacher adaptability in authentic school settings. This qualitative case study examines how a STEM–IoT Mini Research Project (MRP) grounded in a Design Thinking framework for natural disaster mitigation fosters Engineering Empathy, Teacher Adaptive Strategies, and Student Autonomy. Data were collected through in-depth interviews (teachers and students), participatory classroom observations, and analysis of project artifacts, involving Grade IX students and STEM teachers at SMP IT Mentari Ilmu, Karawang, Indonesia. Thematic Analysis revealed three key findings: (1) Engineering Empathy emerged as a cognitive reasoning process that guided students to produce Inclusive Design solutions, demonstrated through multi-modal warning systems that accommodate diverse user needs; (2) Teacher Adaptive Strategies functioned as real-time instructional decision-making essential for managing the technical complexity of STEM–IoT tasks; and (3) the learning model successfully promoted Student Autonomy and intrinsic motivation throughout the project. These findings suggest that STEM–IoT curriculum innovation should position Engineering Empathy as a central driver of design quality, supported by teacher flexibility to maintain student agency. The study underscores the need for professional development emphasizing real-time troubleshooting and pedagogical adaptability.

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