Board 148: Facilitating Makerspace Adoption: Professional Development for University Faculty in Making Techniques and Pedagogy

Shaunna Fultz Smith; Anna H. Wakefield; Kimberly Grau Talley

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Conference: 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Tampa, Florida
Publication Date: June 15, 2019
Start Date: June 15, 2019
End Date: June 19, 2019
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--32263
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/32263
Download Count: 472

Paper Authors

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Shaunna Fultz Smith Texas State University

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Dr. Shaunna Smith is an Assistant Professor of Educational Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas State University. She holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis on technology integration and art education. Her teaching and research explore how the hands-on use of design-based technologies (e.g. digital fabrication, 3D modeling and printing, computer programming, and DIY robotics) can impact multidisciplinary learning that transcends traditional content contexts (e.g. arts-based STEM integration). At her free mobile makerspace for K-12 students and teachers, The MAKE Lab (http://themakelab.wp.txstate.edu), she is currently researching how recurring experiences with these design-based technologies impact visual spatial skills, self-efficacy, and positive attitudes toward failure (e.g. persistence in the face of obstacles; reconceptualization of failure as a paradigm for creative learning) with teachers and K–12 students. These concepts are also part of her research as Co-Director of Bobcat Made, which is the collaborative university makerspace.

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Anna H. Wakefield Texas State University

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Kimberly Grau Talley P.E. Texas State University orcid.org/0000-0002-6235-0706

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Dr. Kimberly G. Talley is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Technology, Maker Space Co-Director and Senior Research Fellow for the LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research at Texas State University, and a licensed Professional Engineer. She received her Ph.D. and M.S.E. from the University of Texas at Austin in Structural Engineering. Her undergraduate degrees in History and in Construction Engineering and Management are from North Carolina State University. Dr. Talley teaches courses in the Construction Science and Management Program, and her research focus is in student engagement and retention in engineering and engineering technology education. Contact: talley@txstate.edu

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Abstract

As part of an NSF-REE funded research project, The Engineering Education Maker Identity Project, this research project seeks to study how students’ STEM professional identity was impacted through the inclusion of making and design projects in their courses. The student populations of interest were majoring in engineering, engineering technology, and pre-/in-service STEM teachers. In order to reach this large and diverse group of students, the study needed a sizable and diverse group of faculty members to participate. A call was made to all of the Colleges of Education and of Science and Engineering to reach these student groups, and the resulting faculty participants included Education, Engineering, Engineering Technology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Psychology faculty. As such, a two-semester professional development program was designed for faculty to 1) learn a variety of maker tools, 2) learn instructional strategies to integrate making and design into their teaching, 3) receive mentoring while developing lessons that integrate making and design into their course content, and 4) build a diverse professional learning and research community for maker integration across disciplines. Beyond recruiting faculty to integrate making and design projects, many interested faculty members wanted to learn making techniques and makerspace equipment to facilitate their classes (and for personal curiosity). The first semester (Fall 2017) involved faculty attending three half-day workshops to learn maker tools and instructional strategies to support the integration of making and design. Workshops were held in two makerspace areas, 1) Bobcat Made - the university makerspace and 2) The Make Lab, low-tech mobile makerspace in the College of Education. Upon attending the workshops, faculty were asked to develop a lesson plan that integrated making and design into one of their courses for the following spring. Faculty participated in online forum discussions and received mentoring from program staff throughout this process. The second semester (Spring 2018) involved faculty implementing the lesson into their course that integrated making and design. With support from program staff and makerspace volunteers, each faculty member was able to bring their students to the Bobcat Made makerspace to facilitate their projects. Data collected included faculty lesson plans and student artifacts. This paper describes the procedure and content of these professional development workshops and describes how some of the faculty integrated making projects in their courses.

Citation
Format

Smith, S. F., & Wakefield, A. H., & Talley, K. G. (2019, June), Board 148: Facilitating Makerspace Adoption: Professional Development for University Faculty in Making Techniques and Pedagogy Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--32263

TY - CPAPER
AB - As part of an NSF-REE funded research project, The Engineering Education Maker Identity Project, this research project seeks to study how students’ STEM professional identity was impacted through the inclusion of making and design projects in their courses. The student populations of interest were majoring in engineering, engineering technology, and pre-/in-service STEM teachers. In order to reach this large and diverse group of students, the study needed a sizable and diverse group of faculty members to participate. A call was made to all of the Colleges of Education and of Science and Engineering to reach these student groups, and the resulting faculty participants included Education, Engineering, Engineering Technology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Psychology faculty. As such, a two-semester professional development program was designed for faculty to 1) learn a variety of maker tools, 2) learn instructional strategies to integrate making and design into their teaching, 3) receive mentoring while developing lessons that integrate making and design into their course content, and 4) build a diverse professional learning and research community for maker integration across disciplines. Beyond recruiting faculty to integrate making and design projects, many interested faculty members wanted to learn making techniques and makerspace equipment to facilitate their classes (and for personal curiosity). The first semester (Fall 2017) involved faculty attending three half-day workshops to learn maker tools and instructional strategies to support the integration of making and design. Workshops were held in two makerspace areas, 1) Bobcat Made - the university makerspace and 2) The Make Lab, low-tech mobile makerspace in the College of Education. Upon attending the workshops, faculty were asked to develop a lesson plan that integrated making and design into one of their courses for the following spring. Faculty participated in online forum discussions and received mentoring from program staff throughout this process. The second semester (Spring 2018) involved faculty implementing the lesson into their course that integrated making and design. With support from program staff and makerspace volunteers, each faculty member was able to bring their students to the Bobcat Made makerspace to facilitate their projects. Data collected included faculty lesson plans and student artifacts. This paper describes the procedure and content of these professional development workshops and describes how some of the faculty integrated making projects in their courses.
AU - Shaunna Fultz Smith
AU - Anna H. Wakefield
AU - Kimberly Grau Talley P.E.
CY - Tampa, Florida
DA - 2019/06/15
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Board 148: Facilitating Makerspace Adoption: Professional Development for University Faculty in Making Techniques and Pedagogy
UR - https://peer.asee.org/32263
DO - 10.18260/1-2--32263
ER -