Cross-age peer tutoring in a technology-enhanced STEAM project at a lower secondary school

Satu Tenhovirta,Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen,Kai Hakkarainen,Tiina Korhonen

doi:10.1007/s10798-021-09674-6

Satu Tenhovirta, Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09674-6

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Abstract

The present investigation examined cross-age peer tutoring in the context of organising a technology-enhanced STEAM project aimed at bringing elements of maker culture to a lower secondary school. We examined how 8th graders tutored 7th graders in programming skills. The participants were peer tutors (n = 15) studying in a technology-oriented class, along with their teachers (5) and the researchers (2). By interviewing the tutors, we studied skills that the tutors had experienced as being essential to overcoming the challenges encountered. To trace the tutors’ social support network and the sharing of expertise, we asked the participants to draw a personal social network map. Three key tutors were identified, whose centrality in the network was socially validated by the number of peer tutors seeking their advice. Two case studies of key tutors’ learning networks were carried out. The findings revealed that the tutors needed versatile technological, social, pedagogical, and reflective know-how in the project. It is concluded that cross-age peer tutoring provides significant support for implementing practices of making and STEAM education at school.

Highlights

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine cross-age peer tutoring in the context of maker-centred learning (Clapp et al, 2016) at a lower secondary school in the capital region of Finland
The present investigation focused on examining cross-age peer tutoring in the context of integrative STEAM projects wherein digital fabrication and traditional technologies mediated students’ collaborative team efforts of inventing artefacts
We created an Excel matrix regarding indegrees of the provided advice network and used the CytoScape program to construct a network map of the tutor network. This stays in the method section of the third research question, we examined two key tutors’ egocentric networks, in which learned most about their different uses.” (Lauri) acted more as a technology expert and Joona occupied more of a social organiser role

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine cross-age peer tutoring in the context of maker-centred learning (Clapp et al, 2016) at a lower secondary school in the capital region of Finland. Together with traditional tools, emerging digital fabrication technologies enable the engagement of young students in inventing, designing, and making complex artefacts, sparking engineering and technological challenges. Due to drastic changes in society and working life that digitalisation is bringing about, educational institutions have had to renew their practices of learning and teaching in terms of engaging students in project-based structured activities that involve the creative use of sociodigital technologies. This concept refers to the recently emerged integrated system of mobile and wireless technologies, social media, digital fabrication tools, and internet (Hakkarainen et al, 2015)

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