Teacher interventions in students’ collaborative work in a technology-rich educational makerspace

Abstract

This study reports on an investigation of teacher interventions in students’ collaborative work in an educational makerspace. We draw on a qualitative analysis of video data on teacher–student interaction derived from 94 students (aged 9–12) and their teachers in a Finnish school. The results show that the teacher interventions were both student- and teacher-initiated. Three leading teacher intervention strategies were identified, namely authoritative, orchestrating and unleashing which emerged in teacher–student interactions dealing with conceptual, procedural, technological, behavioural and motivational issues. The study demonstrates the demands makerspaces pose for teacher–student interaction, and how moving from authoritative to collaborative interaction requires collective efforts and cultural change.