Xiaohongshu
Join us for our Designing engaging evaluation tools for Power Play, a LEGO‑funded creativity and problem‑solving programme
The Research Volunteering programme through the Community Research Initiative gives YOU the power to take your research and classroom skills out into the community to create a positive social impact. Through our bite size projects, you’ll work with a group of interdisciplinary peers and organisational allies to tackle a project that will draw on your research skills. These projects are flexible and designed with students in mind to give you amazing experience to fuel your CV, explore new skills, and meet other likeminded students. Each opportunity is unique, make sure to check out our page for more information.
All about the organisation
The Institute of Imagination (iOi) is a well-established and pioneering education charity. We work with parents, teachers, youth and community leaders and academics, designing and delivering creative workshops across the arts, sciences and digital technologies (STEAM) for children aged 5-11 years old. These experiences empower children today to believe they can build a just, fair and sustainable world tomorrow. So far we have worked with over 140,000 children and adults. iOi is all about learning by doing through science, technology or the arts, using all different kinds of props from cardboards and LEGO, to virtual reality glasses and robots.
A bit about the project
This project focuses on redesigning the Institute of Imagination’s evaluation tools for the LEGO‑funded Power Play programme, making them more engaging, accessible, and meaningful for teachers, caregivers, and children aged 5–11. You’ll help create fresh, user‑friendly surveys and feedback tools, then pilot them with a small group of families to see how well they work in practice. Your insights will help IOI better understand the programme’s impact and strengthen future funding bids and programme design.
- What can I expect from this opportunity?
- Co‑design new, engaging evaluation tools tailored for teachers, caregivers, and young children.
- Pilot your redesigned tools with a select group of families to see how they work in real settings.
- Build practical skills in interviewing, communication, and user‑testing.
- Analyse early feedback to refine and improve your tools.
- Contribute to a clear, polished set of recommendations that IOI can use to strengthen future evaluations.
- How will my work on this project impact the community?
- Make it easier for families, teachers, and children to share meaningful feedback about their experiences.
- Help IOI gather clearer, more accurate insights into how Power Play supports creativity and problem‑solving.
- Improve the long‑term evaluation of creative learning programmes in Tower Hamlets.
- Strengthen IOI’s ability to secure funding and expand opportunities for children.
- Support more inclusive, engaging ways for families to participate in co‑design and creative education.
What key tasks will the volunteer team be responsible for?
- Review and Redesign Existing Evaluation Tools
- Explore the current iOi surveys to understand what works and what feels too long, repetitive, or unclear.
- Explore academic literature and public best practice for evaluation surveys with children
- Use these insights to reimagine these tools to be more engaging, accessible, and age‑appropriate for children aged 5–11.
- Create fresh versions tailored for teachers and caregivers, ensuring each group can share meaningful feedback easily.
- Develop and Prepare Pilot‑Ready Materials
- Turn your redesigned tools into polished, user‑friendly formats (digital or paper).
- Build simple instructions or prompts that help families and children understand how to use them.
- Ensure the tools are inclusive, easy to navigate, and suitable for a diverse group of participants.
- Pilot the Tools with a Select Group of Families
- Test your new surveys and feedback tools with a small group of caregivers, children involved in Power Play.
- Observe how participants interact with the tools and gather their reactions in real time.
- Collect early data to see whether the tools capture the insights IOI needs.
- Analyse Feedback and Refine the Final Versions
- Review pilot data to identify what’s working well and what needs adjusting.
- Make improvements to clarity, engagement, and usability based on real user feedback.
- Produce a final set of evaluation tools and recommendations that IOI can confidently use for future programme cycles.
What skills will I practice and develop during this experience?
- Design engaging, user‑friendly evaluation tools that build your confidence in creative research design.
- Strengthen your communication and interviewing skills by piloting tools with real parents, caregivers, and children.
- Develop practical data‑collection and analysis skills, turning early feedback into clear insights.
- Build experience in user‑testing and iteration, refining tools based on what families actually need and respond to.
- Grow your collaboration and project‑management skills as you help shape evaluation methods that will be used in real educational settings.
Time commitment
For this project we anticipate 2-3 months of work, perhaps with weekly commitment depends on the workload/ design plan.