Changing the Fabric of Classroom Discourse: A Quasi-Experimental Examination of Shifting Instructional Practices Through "Making"

• In Event: Facilitating Learning Across Diverse Contexts

Abstract

The Maker Movement entails the building of personalized artifacts to create interest-driven, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning opportunities for students (Halverson & Sheridan, 2014; Vossoughi & Bevan, 2014). This paper reports findings from one intervention where sewable electronic textiles (e-textiles; a common Making medium) were introduced into four 8th grade physical science classes as part of a unit on electricity and circuits. Our mixed methods analysis focuses specifically on exploring the ways in which the teacher’s instructional practices differed between the classes that he taught using e-textiles and those he taught using his customary pedagogy. We found that instruction improved significantly when teachers use e-textiles.

Authors

• Colby Tofel-Grehl, Utah State University

• Eliza Jex, Utah State University

• David F. Feldon, Utah State University

• Alok Shenoy

• Kristin Anne Searle, Utah State University