In-Service Secondary STEM Teachers' Experiences in a Maker-Based Integrative STEM Graduate Course: Investigating What Works

• In Event: Explorations of STEM Education in Teacher Preparation and Teacher Experience

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of what components of a maker-based methods graduate course impact in-service secondary STEM teachers’ understanding of maker integration in their STEM content lessons. An exploratory qualitative approach was used to analyze data from teacher surveys, a focus group, and the teachers’ final oral presentations for the graduate course. The data revealed that knowledge of the Maker Sprint cycle gave more structure to maker-based activities teachers were already leading in their classes, that the exposure to exemplars and the university makerspace visit gave them a more tangible idea of what making could look like in their classrooms, and that their knew knowledge of making inspired new ways of teaching STEM.

Authors

• Juan Torralba, Southern Methodist University

• Kanushri Wadhwa, University of Miami

• Mary A. Avalos, University of Miami