Making Space for Writing: Makerspace Activities and Academic Language in a Middle School Science Classroom

• In Event: TIL- Computer Applications for Kids and STEM-based Classroom Applications (v)

Short Description

Although the maker movement has gained popularity among K-12 schools, little research has investigated makerspaces within school settings. This mixed methods case study examined the effects of collaboration and space of maker activities on middle school students’ motivation and academic writing. Findings indicated that that collaboration reduced students’ sense of pressure, but no other subscale of motivation. Neither collaboration nor space affected academic writing. All groups’ writing scores increased following the intervention.

Authors

• Presenter: Ashley A Stewart, West Virginia University

• Presenter: Jiangmei Yuan, West Virginia University