Beyond “Having Fun” As Evidence of Learning: A Longitudinal Case Study of a Teacher’s Evolving Conception of Hands-On Science Activities

Science education reform initiatives have been implemented worldwide in recent years focusing on the integration of science and engineering practices into science learning. In this context, one promising area to explore is how the resources provided by makerspaces can promote more meaningful, contextualized, and practice-based ways of teaching and learning science. Nonetheless, there are few studies, and even fewer from the Global South, that analyze how teachers perceive the potential of these resources and integrate them into their lesson plans. Using an in-depth case-study methodology, this paper investigates results from a project that engages teachers in co-designing curricular units integrating new resources and practice-based approaches to science learning. In particular, we study how one science teacher developed new understandings about the role of “hands-on” science activities as he participated in a professional development program over 4 years. Based on our findings, we suggest strategies for the design of programs aimed at integrating science practices and makerspace resources into school curricula.