Exploring Student Perceptions of Engagement During Maker-centered Instruction

Abstract

This article explores the levels of engagement that students experience during maker-centered instruction, with a particular focus on students in two secondary STEM classrooms. The authors first define key terms related to making and maker-centered instruction, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and the maker mindset. The authors then describe the lesson context and discuss how engagement was perceived by students. The article draws on three views of engagement: engagement as a partnership with students, engagement as a multidimensional construct, and engagement as a continuum of student actions. The authors conclude with implications for promoting student investment in learning through explicit attention to engagement in lesson planning and implementation. The authors highlight the importance of maker education in supporting content knowledge and skill-building while also empowering students to invest in their learning. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the potential for maker-centered instruction to promote active and engaged learning for all students and highlights the need for the support of student engagement through explicit lesson design and student reflection.

Keywords::

• Making
• hands-on learning
• inquiry
• chemistry
• student engagement

Supplemental material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00368555.2023.2292338.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shelly Rodriguez

Dr. Shelly Rodriguez ([email protected]) is the director of UTeach Maker, a micro-credentialing program that helps preservice teachers bring innovative, project-based maker practices into their STEM classrooms or makerspace environments. She is a professor of practice and instructor for the UTeach program in The College of Natural Sciences at UT Austin. Prior to joining UTeach, Shelly was a national board-certified high school science teacher.

Kira Lowery

Kira Lowery, now in her eighth year of teaching, instructs Biology at Moe and Gene Johnson High School in. Buda, Texas. She earned her undergraduate degree from UT Austin in 2015 and recently completed her master's in STEM curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M in 2023. As a UTeach Maker Fellow, Kira has received accolades for her creative approach to lessons that incorporate maker education.

Derek Casares,

Derek Casares is in his 8^th year of teaching at Dell Valle High School, in Del Valle Texas. He currently teaches engineering at a variety of levels. A proud alumnus of UT Austin, they graduated in 2016 and since then, have involved themselves in enriching extracurricular activities. Currently, Derek contributes to the school's UIL Calculator team, oversees FRC Robotics, and supports the National Honor Society (NHS) committee. Derek is a UTeach Maker Fellow.

Phillips Adebayo

UTeach Maker Fellow, Phillips Adebayo, is currently serving as the Professional Learning Community (PLC) lead for the Chemistry Department at Crockett Early College High School in Austin, Texas. Phillips instructs students in Advanced Chemistry, General Chemistry, and Intro to Engineering. During his four years of teaching, Phillips commitment to excellence has been recognized through numerous accolades. In the academic year of 2021-2022, Phillips was honored with both the ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Grant Scholarship and the Crockett High School Teacher of the Year Award.