How does digital fabrication support the development of STEM literacy in secondary schools? /

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Student Theses

2025

Mak, Wai Kit

Hong Kong : The Education University of Hong Kong

Thesis

This study investigates how digital fabrication supports the development of STEM literacy among secondary school students. Employing a mixed methods approach that combines quantitative analysis with qualitative interviews, the research compares the effects of digital fabrication versus traditional manufacturing methods on five core domains of STEM literacy: STEM concepts, STEM practices, STEM applications, STEM attitudes, and STEM-related contexts.The research design employs a 2×2 factorial design, dividing 205 Hong Kong secondary students into four groups: digital fabrication collaborative, digital fabrication independent, traditional manufacturing collaborative, and traditional manufacturing independent. Each group completed identical geometric shape fabrication tasks, including creating 5cm squares and 5cm diameter circles. STEM literacy development was assessed through pre-test and post-test questionnaires, complemented by in-depth interviews with eight students to gather qualitative insights.The findings reveal that digital fabrication methods significantly outperform traditional manufacturing approaches in fostering STEM literacy development. The digital fabrication groups demonstrated significant improvement across all five STEM literacy domains, with particularly notable gains in STEM applications and STEM attitudes. In contrast, the traditional manufacturing groups showed greater improvement in STEM concepts but limited progress in other domains. The research also found no significant difference in STEM literacy development between learning modes (independent versus collaborative), suggesting that both approaches can effectively support learning. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in STEM literacy development across grade levels or gender, indicating that digital fabrication activities are effective for students of different ages and genders.The study offers important recommendations for STEM education practice, including: balancing structured guidance with student autonomy, embedding fabrication activities within authentic problem contexts, explicitly connecting fabrication activities to STEM concepts, incorporating structured reflection throughout the fabrication process, and strategically organizing collaborative learning. The findings provide an empirical foundation for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers to effectively integrate digital fabrication technologies into STEM education

LG51.H43 Dr 2025eb Makwk

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/BJox3O61