Analysis of the data suggested no statistically significant shifts in student’s attitudes toward nature or sense of personal agency from the beginning to the end of the program. However, the quantitative results demonstrated positive increases in the means for engagement, attitudes toward science and attitudes toward art, shifts worth noting when interpreted alongside qualitative data. Group interviews with students indicated that students did in fact internalize aspects of the life science content being discussed, as well as changes in behavior grounded in what they had studied in the program. Many students focused on a shift in their relationship to environmental awareness and the use of non-degradable plastics, a focus of the biomaterials unit in the program. They talked about design inspiration from nature as well as the need to protect biodiversity for continued exemplars of how nature operates with limited resources in ways that are not harmful to their environment. In conversation, students were clear that this program had an impact on their lives outside of the school environment.

Moreover, students did demonstrate an increase in performance on questions pertaining to science content. The increase in content performance from the first semester to the second suggests that with changes in other variables, such as more frequent or longer classes, there is the potential for students to show marked improvement in their understandings of biological concepts when applying the art and design based curriculum.

The conscientiously created space emerged as an important aspect of the curriculum. The environment in which students learn, which often simply forms the backdrop for learning, has the potential in the BioDesign space to draw students into the wonder and curiosity integral to the science discipline, acting as a third teacher. With the second iteration of the program, strong attempts were made to root the curriculum more securely in the space through observational activities as well as utilization for examples of content being discussed. As this was made more explicit, students also pointed out that the space was a unique element of their content learning.

The study suggests the potential in reframing what form research and knowledge can take, opening up pluralistic response youth may have to science content. Mixed-method studies such as this one offer multiple ways of accessing what youth experiences are in such environments. Additionally, it offers insight as to efforts that can be made to expand traditional teaching practices to better engage young people in exciting STEM worlds.