Möbius
RESEARCH METHODS
Experimental Design
Semi-structured Interview
Pre- and Post Surveys
MEMBERS
Nicola Law: Principal Researcher
Yipu Zheng: Researcher
Marcus Cheung: Research Assistant
TIMEFRAME
Summer 2019 (Preliminary)
On-going Project (Quantitative Focus)
SUMMARY
This pilot study explored the potential gender gap in understanding, self-efficacy, and motivation while engaging in different making procedures (Assemble or Dismantle). A gender gap was seen in the Assemble activity, whereas the Dismantle activity may be more compatible with high school/college female students when developing understanding, voicing challenges, contemplating interests, self-efficacy, and motivation. Male students in the Dismantle group showed a decrease in self-efficacy and motivation. Publication is under review.
Project Detail Description
Despite maker activities becoming increasingly gender-neutral and a part of our daily lives, such as fixing malfunctioning printers or coffee makers by dismantling it, the gender gap still unfortunately exists. Studies have shown that engaging in reverse engineering, where students assemble and dismantle a product, has helped increase learning, motivation, and perceived helpfulness (Dalrymple et al., 2011). While much effort has been put into maker education, there is limited knowledge of whether gender differences exist in understanding, challenges recognition, self-efficacy, and motivation when engaging in maker activities. Further examination is also needed to explore whether different making procedures (Assemble or Dismantle) may contribute to such outcomes.
The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine what high school and college students understand and find challenging while engaging in different making procedures.
RQ1
What do students understand and find challenging while they assemble or dismantle a robotic gear?
RQ2
How does the experience of assembling or dismantling a robotic gear influence self-efficacy and motivation in science and engineering interests/learning?
RQ3
Are there any gender differences when students engage in different making activities?
Participants
A total of eighteen students (9 females and 9 males) aged 14-21 from local high schools and colleges (non-science/engineering majors) in Shenzhen and Hong Kong participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to either Assemble or Dismantle conditions.
Data Analysis Methods/Measurements
Understanding of Gears Prompt
Coding scheme on students’ remarks
Basic Knowledge of how a hand-held generator works
Advance Knowledge that requires interpretation drawn from multiple forms of knowledge and information
Challenge and Interests Prompt
Thematic Analysis
Self-Construct Survey
Descriptive Analysis
Analysis and Results
In order to analyze the remarks gathered from the “understanding” prompt, a coding scheme was used to label students' remarks that reflected either basic knowledge on how hand-held generator works (e.g., “gears move together to drive the motor”) or advanced concepts (e.g., “rotation of the gears generates mechanical energy, which then rotates the motor to generate electricity”) that require interpretation drawn from multiple forms of information.
In response to the “challenge and interest” prompt question, many of the challenges (41 remarks) addressed either metacognitive reflections (28 remarks e.g., “Thinking about where I went wrong. Now I know where I went wrong”) or difficulty in the making (7 remarks e.g., “can't unscrew the screw, for some reasons”).
Due to the small sample size (n=18; 9 females and 9 male) and exploratory nature of this study, no extensive statistical analysis was conducted, only preliminary descriptive analysis was examined.
Engineering Self-Efficacy
Likert scale 1-6 with 1 at completely uncertain and 6 at completely certain
The Dismantle group showed a larger increase from pre- to posttest (M=.59, SD=1.31), compared to the Assemble group (M=.19, SD=1.16).
MALE
A decrease in self-efficacy for the Dismantle group (M= -.23, SD=1.21).
FEMALE
A larger increase was seen in the Dismantle group (M=1.24, SD=1.07).
Motivation
Likert scale of 1-7 with 1 at strongly disagree and 7 at strongly agree
The Dismantle group showed a larger increase from pre- to posttest (M=.47, SD=1.15), compared to the Assemble group (M=.15, SD=1.14).
MALE
A small decrease in motivation for Dismantle (M= -.35, SD= .54).
FEMALE
A relatively large increase in Dismantle (M=1.12, SD=1.11).
Summary
To bridge the gender gap, help students voice challenges, foster in-depth understanding, and develop higher self-efficacy and motivation, when designing different making activity.
Assemble First
sustain male students’ self-efficacy and motivation while not losing their rich remarks in understanding the mechanism
Dismantle First
female students to be more comfortable voicing their challenges and fostering higher self-efficacy and motivation.
Currently, this study is on the phrase two data collection and analysis - especially on a more rigorous quantitative data analysis phrase.
Relevant Publication
Law, N. YL., Okita, S. Y., Zheng, Y., & Cheung, M. Y-Y. (2020). Exploring gender gap in student understanding, self-efficacy, and motivation during maker activities. Manuscript submitted for publication.
