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MODULE NAME MODULE CODE LECTURER
Technology Education Method EDSE411 F. A. Voigt
3
ASSIGNMENT TITLE DUE DATE
Assignment 3: Infographic – Maker Spaces 10/09/2024
SURNAME FIRST NAME STUDENT NUMBER
Beugger Jenna -Lin 221062225
Deenanath Kameel 221078994
Gounden Natalya 221001393
Phiri Phumlani 221075628
Suleman Mohammed Azghar 221003890
Definition
Makerspaces are collaborative public areas where makers share knowledge and
tools and are increasingly popular among professionals and amateurs (Taylor et al.,
2016). According, to Bobic (2023) these spaces foster creativity, innovation, and
hands-on learning. In educational contexts, makerspaces often emphasizes STEM
learning through student-centered,project-based and problem-based activities (Ying,
2018). Pallaris et al, (2024) highlight that Makerspaces provide an environment that
promotes experimentation, invention, observation, and hands-on construction, often
through cooperation and collaboration. These spaces are not confined to a single
institution but can be found in libraries, schools, and universities (Pallaris et al,
2024).
Benefits of maker spaces
Research done by Taylor et al. (2016) shows that makerspaces also serve as social
spaces, supporting the well-being of communities. These are spaces that allow
people of all ages to explore questions, build prototypes, bounce ideas off one
another, fail and try again, and build things together. These spaces promote not only
critical thinking abilities but also the development of communication, mentoring skills,
leadership, and teamwork.
Disadvantage of maker spaces
Allen et al. (2023) identified five major barriers for differently abled makerspace
users: physical access, belonging, financial, access to information, and outreach.
Building relationships within the community can foster a stronger sense of belonging
in makerspaces. Hira et al. (2014) also highlighted challenges for teachers
implementing makerspaces in classrooms including time constraints, diversity,
teacher preparation, resource and technology management.
Constraints
Teacher preparation- the teacher must possess both pedological and subject
knowledge to effectively implement makerspaces. STEM teachers may not be fully
equipped for this, and gaps in skills, experience, and understanding must be
addressed.
Diversity- Studies show that the field of engineering is typically dominated with
certain social classes which is reflected in makerspaces. Efforts should be made to
include diverse groups in makerspaces and engineering,
Resource and technology management- the integration of technology and other
resources is one of the biggest challenges of the implementation of maker spaces in
classrooms. Administrators and teachers often struggle with organizing and obtaining
necessary materials.
References
Allen, K. H., Balaska, A. K., Aronson, R. M., Rogers, C., & Short, E. S. (2023, October).
Barriers and Benefits: The Path to Accessible Makerspaces. In Proceedings of the
25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (pp.
1-14). DOI: 10.1145/3597638.3608414
Bobic, O. (2023). Makerspaces as learning spaces for sustainable development. A systematic
literature review. Journal of Educational Sciences, 48(2), 32–45.
[Link]
Hira, A., Joslyn, C. H., & Hynes, M. M. (2014). Classroom makerspaces: Identifying the
opportunities and challenges. ResearchGate. . Available from:
[Link]
fying_the_Opportunities_and_Challenges [Link]
Pallaris, G., Zaphiris, P., & Parmaxi, A. (2024). Mapping the landscape of Makerspaces in
higher education: an inventory of research findings. Interactive Technology and Smart
Education, 21(1), 1-20. DOI: 10.1108/ITSE-01-2022-0013
Taylor, N., Hurley, U., & Connolly, P. (2016, May). Making community: the wider role of
makerspaces in public life. In Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on human
factors in Computing systems (pp. 1415-1425).
[Link]
Ying, P. (2018), “The theoretical basis and importance of maker education”, Proceedings of
the 2018 2nd International Conference on Education Science and Economic
Management, pp. 531-534. [Link]
