Authoring Self: GED Students Transforming Their Identities in a Composition Makerspace

In this case study, I examine the ways adult learners improve skills and practices around communication, problem-solving, motivation, self-esteem, and technology through engagement in a makerspace curriculum focused on composition. A primary objective is to provide insight into the various ways that adult education environments can incorporate innovative practices of teaching and learning to prepare students for a standardized high school equivalency test and beyond. The patterns in the data revealed that makerspaces for the focal participants predominantly supported nonacademic skill development, particularly learning from mistakes, the importance of learning from each other, and identifying as a learner to aid in one’s learning