Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn STEM Through a Makerspace Approach

Abstract

This chapter outlines the implementation of a STEMinist Makerspace Project with a group of female primary pre-service teachers in India. The STEMinist project had previously been enacted in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia, and targeted female pre-service teachers focusing on building their science, technology and mathematical knowledge and engineering process skills, empowering them to become more confident and competent STEM educators. Using a Makerspace Approach pre-service teachers participated in a series of activities: first, as ‘students’ in a Makerspace creating their own artefact supported through a scaffolded approach by their educators; reflecting on their experiences; then taking their artefact and materials to scaffold and support primary school students to create the own artefacts that they were able to take home. It was evident that the pre-service teachers focused on the development of twenty-first century competences, listing collaboration, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and applying knowledge as valuable to their own learning. Many of them also considered the learning skills that their students would need in the future.