Scaffolding Historical Inquiry through a Collaborative Maker-based Activity

Abstract

Teaching strategies in history education could influence the development of learners’ competencies. Lecture-based approaches on historical knowledge have limited potential in developing students’ historical thinking and critical thinking competencies while historical inquiry has been argued to be an efficient way to develop these skills. Engaging in historical thinking development through inquiry is, however, a complex and difficult process for novice students as they will potentially face didactic and cognitive limits. We wish to contribute to the didactics of history literature in proposing scaffolds for historical inquiry through a collaborative maker-based activity combined with a knowledge building (KB) tool. Considering computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) literature to design collaboration, we argue that core mechanics of a sandbox videogame, 3D printing and maker culture can offer scaffolds in collaborative historical inquiry as they present congruities with cognitive operations required in historical inquiry.