Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
EdD
College
College of Education and Human Services
Department
Learning Sciences and Human Development
Committee Chair
Jiangmei Yuan
Committee Member
Ugur Kale
Committee Member
Keri Valentine
Committee Member
Monica McCartney
Abstract
Over recent decades, the maker movement has expanded from the private sector, libraries, and higher education institutions to K-12 schools. While many studies provide implications of STEM and maker activities and their effects on learning in informal settings, few have framed such investigations within the context of a makerspace in K-12 schools. Furthermore, few have investigated maker activities and writing, particularly in developing academic language features. Prior research suggests that secondary students struggle to apply academic language features. Meanwhile, they are motivated to engage in STEM and maker activities. This mixed methods case study attempted to make a connection between makerspaces and academic language. The study examined the effect of collaboration and space on middle school students’ motivation and academic language in a science classroom as students engaged in maker activities. Findings indicated that students enjoyed working in makerspaces and that collaboration, which was determined by role assignments in groups, reduced students’ sense of pressure, but no other subscale of motivation. Collaboration did not affect academic writing quality. Space had no effect on either motivation or writing. However, all groups’ writing scores increased following the intervention.
Recommended Citation
Stewart, Ashley, "Making Space for Writing: Makerspace Activities and Academic Language in a Middle School Science Classroom" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7923.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7923