Researching Educational Equity in Makerspaces: A Nexus Analysis

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Abstract

School makerspaces represent accessible learning environments. Concurrently, there are raising concerns whether makerspaces serve all students on equal grounds. This study uses nexus analysis to examine social practices in a school makerspace, focusing on how teaching and learning support or challenge diverse student participation. Over a year, video interactions of 30 fifth-graders were documented. Preliminary findings highlight three key social practices that were pivotal in the makerspace, thus affecting equity: becoming co-directed, engaging in active knowledge creation, and blending boundaries between the digital and the physical. The analysis highlighted one student excelling through independent and collaborative work, while another struggled with the necessary skills and project engagement. The results advocate for tailored pedagogical strategies to ensure equitable engagement in makerspaces.

Authors

• Jasmiina Leskinen, University of Eastern Finland

• Kristiina Kumpulainen, University of British Columbia

• Anu Kajamaa, University of Oulu