'I Make, Therefore I Am': The Effects of CurriculumAligned Making on Children's Self-Identity
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2017 ACM. Prior research investigating the effects of incorporating Making into educational contexts has been limited to snapshot studies. These studies however do not allow for the investigation of aspects that require longer-term development and nurture. We present a longitudinal study that investigates the effects of Making on children's degree of science self-efficacy, identity formation as possible scientists and engineers, and academic performance in science. Designed interactions with Making technology were integrated into the science curriculum of elementary school classrooms in a public school with a high proportion of students from minority populations for a year. Results showed significant differences between the 'Making classrooms' and the control classrooms, and from pre-to post-test on the students' inclination towards science. The results support the promise and potential of incorporating Making into formal schooling on the growth and long-term attitudes of children towards science and STEM in general.
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Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems