Designing A Principle‐Based Knowledge Building Environment for Collaborative Inquiry and Process Documentation in STEM Learning

Background Grounded in knowledge‐building theory, which posits learning as the collaborative advancement of community knowledge, existing research often overlooks the systematic documentation and reflective iteration of the learning process. This gap limits students' opportunities to engage in the epistemic practises central to knowledge advancement. Objectives This study aims to design and implement a principle‐based knowledge‐building (KB) environment scaffolded by Knowledge Forum (KF) to investigate how this environment supports collaborative inquiry, process documentation, and artefact creation in STEM learning. Methods We conducted a mixed‐methods study with 171 undergraduate students enrolled in a STEM education course over four months. The designed KB environment integrated KB principles with KF's discursive and visualisation tools. Data included KF interaction analytics, discourse analysis of KF notes, artefact assessments using a validated rubric, and an in‐depth case study of one group's project on preserving Yao Long Drum traditions. Results Quantitative analysis confirmed that KF interaction significantly predicted artefact quality, mediated by high‐level discourse moves such as synthesising. Qualitative analysis of the case study demonstrated how KB scaffolds (e.g., My Theory, A Better Theory) guided students to progress from abstract problem identification (e.g., ‘cultural confidence’) to transdisciplinary solutions (e.g., digital emojis and ethnographic videos), making their iterative design visible, recordable, and improvable. Conclusion The study demonstrates that a deliberately designed KB environment functions as a socio‐dynamic, process‐oriented system where documentation, discourse, and design co‐evolve. It provides a replicable model for using principle‐based scaffolds to make learning processes tangible, thereby fostering epistemic agency and culturally grounded innovation in STEM education.