ERIC Number: EJ1305977
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jul
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0028-8276
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Teachers Use of Public Makerspaces to Support Students' Development of Digital Technology Competencies
Macann, Victoria; Carvalho, Lucila
New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, v56 suppl 1 p125-142 Jul 2021
Public libraries around the world have been re-configuring their sites to include 'makerspaces'--as a dedicated area where learners engage in creating, inventing, designing, discovering, coding, building and exploring. Makerspace activity often involves learning-by-doing and problem-solving, in a variety of topics in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This paper discusses the use of a public makerspace as an innovative learning environment, which has been specially set-up for exploring computational thinking (CT) in alignment with STEM activities. Interviews with primary school teachers explored their perceptions of the use of a makerspace for CT teaching and learning. Findings suggest that whilst teachers considered problem-solving important for developing CT skills, workshop sessions with tools/robotics seemed to hold higher value for them. Results also reveal teachers' uncertainties on how to design CT learning tasks and assessments; and discuss the role of makerspaces in offering opportunities for experimentation, collaboration, and shared inquiry in CT teaching and learning.
Descriptors: Shared Resources and Services, STEM Education, Elementary School Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Computation, Thinking Skills, Problem Solving, Robotics, Workshops, Cooperative Learning, Technological Literacy
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
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Language: English
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