Student-Generated Teaching Materials: A Scoping Review Mapping the Research Field

Abstract

Students can create products that take the form of instructional materials. A scoping review was carried out to map the research field of student-generated teaching materials, focusing on product types, information sources, learning-related matters, and researchers’ explanations. Based on 280 articles, four product types were identified: audio/visual materials, questions, texts, and educational games. Studies gathered information from product creation, product use, participants’ perceptions, and learning outcomes. Socio-cognitive and motivational learning-related matters for creators and users were reported concerning the subject matter, cross-curricular competencies, academic emotions, and engagement. In these studies, researchers interpreted their findings based on nine different explanations: active learning, audience effect, knowledge building, learning by teaching, motivational processes, peer learning, the role of ICT, scaffolding, and time-on-task and practice effect. Different lines for future research are discussed, related to the educational stages and knowledge areas, the research designs, and the relationship between research and practice.