This poster presents a user-centered approach to understanding how faculty and students adopt emerging technologies in STEM education. Rather than treating them only as end-users, the study positions faculty and students as co-creators whose lived experiences provide critical insights for technology design. Grounded in a conceptual framework that integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), and Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the research explores how faculty employ new technologies to teach and help students build competencies for future careers. Using a phenomenological approach and semi-structured interviews with faculty across the U.S., this work highlights methodological choices and their implications for educational technology research. The poster aims to share lessons on how a co-creation lens can shape adoption strategies and generate design insights valuable to both UX practitioners and education researchers.