Designing and Studying of Maker Oriented Learning to Transform Advanced Computer Science

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In a rapidly changing world, it is essential that students develop the ability to transfer and apply their learning in new contexts. This project, at Georgia Institute of Technology, will explore the incorporation of Maker activities into upper-level computer science courses. The project hypothesis is that maker activities will improve knowledge transfer, and lead to stronger undergraduate STEM communities who can better carry out interdisciplinary work. The PIs are concerned with the physical environment that is used for maker-oriented courses, and the development of a physical environment that will facilitate learning in addition to making. Project outcomes will include a model for the physical environment and artifacts that will support maker-oriented learning, as well as a framework for maker-oriented learning that builds upon previous work on problem-based learning and studio-learning environments. This project will be funded by the Division of Undergraduate Education through the IUSE and S-STEM programs.The project will incorporate maker-oriented learning into two advanced computer science courses, Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing, and Human-Computer Interaction. The project team will utilize Design-based Research (DbR) methods to determine how maker-oriented learning environments facilitate skills transfer to new contexts, how maker-oriented learning activities encourage reflection in computer science learning environments, and how the structure of maker-oriented learning approaches impact the development of a community of learners. The project team will use observations, interviews, surveys, and data collected on tools and equipment to aid their iterative course design process. This data will also be provided to the project evaluator, SageFox Consulting Group. The evaluation team will use the ISE Informal Education and Outreach Framework, focusing on factors including understanding, engagement, attitudes, behavior, and skills, ultimately reporting on both the progress of the project team as well as the overall effect of the educational intervention on the students.