Student motivation and engagement in maker activities under the lens of the Activity Theory: a case study in a primary school

Abstract

Makerspaces are an area that is of increasing interest in education. While studies exist about makerspaces in tertiary education, not many studies have explored makerspaces in primary and secondary education. The current study focuses on pupils’ motivation and engagement in makerspace activities—digital fabrication and physical computing—in the context of a primary school, using the Activity Theory as its theoretical framework. The study follows an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Primary school pupils participated in a six-week design-based makerspace programme in a Fablab and a school computer lab, and they completed a survey and participated in focus group discussions afterwards. Both quantitative and qualitative findings showed that pupils perceive maker activities as being motivating (in terms of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, interest/enjoyment, satisfaction) and engaging (in terms of behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement). The Activity Theory provides further insights on how motivation and engagement in makerspaces relate to the components of the activity system. The study advocates for the use of maker activities in the primary classroom. Implications on educational practices and future research are discussed.