DCL: EAGER: MAKER: Determining the Efficacy of Maker Activities by Navigating Discourse (DEMAND)

由于像MakerFaire这样的运动和其他草根阶层的努力，Makerspace在美国各地的学校越来越受欢迎。然而，为Makerspace寻找空间和工作人员对学校来说可能是一件令人望而生畏的事情。Demand项目将通过包含制作材料、详细教案和评估规则的基于标准的工具包来解决这些障碍。这些工具包将提供给合作学区内的所有小学教师，并将在每所学校确定一名首席教师。Demand项目的目标是建立一个致力于在整个学区使用统一的教学方法来整合教师和学生的社区。调查人员计划调查1)基于工具包的制作方法(与专用Makerspace相比)的有效性，2)与其他活动相比，通过Maker活动学习的好处。3)Maker活动在学习者代理中的作用和扩大STEM的参与。其目标是为Maker活动产生一个研究充分的教师专业发展(PD)模式。该项目将鼓励以学校为基础的群体参加PD课程。调查人员将进行案例研究，比较学校中的个别教师，以及整个学区的背景。该项目将探索一种新的模式，让更多的教师参与学习制作活动，从而作为一个起点，让更多的学生在不同的环境中接触制作。此外，为了了解制作过程中的学习者代理以及对学生解决问题的技能和自我效能的承受能力，调查人员将分析学生和教师在参与制作活动时的话语。

Makerspaces have become increasingly popular in schools throughout the United States thanks to movements like MakerFaire and other grassroots efforts.  However, finding space and staff for a Makerspace can be daunting for schools. The DEMAND project will address these barriers with standards-based kits containing Maker materials, detailed lesson plans, and assessment rubrics.  The kits will be available to all elementary school teachers within the partner district and a lead teacher will be identified at each school. The goal of the DEMAND project is to build a community of teachers and students committed to integrating "Making", using a uniform pedagogy across the school district. The investigators plan to investigate 1)the efficacy of the kit-based approach to Making (vs. a dedicated Makerspace), 2) the benefits of learning with Maker activities compared to other activities, and 3) the role of Maker activities in learner agency and broadening participation in STEM.  The objective is to produce a well-researched teacher professional development (PD) model for Maker activities. This project will encourage school-based cohorts to attend the PD sessions. The investigators will conduct case studies, comparing individual teachers in schools, and contexts, across the district. The project will explore a new model for engaging more teachers in learning about Making activities, thereby serving as a launching point to expose a wider range of students to Making in various contexts. Additionally, in order to understand learner agency within the Maker process and the affordances for students' problem-solving skills and self-efficacy, the investigators will analyze student and teacher discourse as they engage in Making activities.