Skip to main content
Top
Published in: TechTrends 4/2019

28-11-2018 | Original Paper

Makerspaces in Diverse Places: A Comparative Analysis of Distinctive National Discourses Surrounding the Maker Movement and Education in Four Countries

Authors: Natalie Roote Irie, Yu-Chang Hsu, Yu-Hui Ching

Published in: TechTrends | Issue 4/2019

Login to get access

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

First conceived as spaces stocked with D.I.Y. tools and materials for community members to join together in the activity of making, makerspaces have begun popping up in schools, libraries, universities and museums across the world. The maker mindset summarizes the ideology of the maker movement—a set of values predicated on making, sharing, learning and playing. Through a critical review of research and practices of makerspaces in the U.S., Singapore, China and Ghana, this paper explores the respective national discourses surrounding the maker movement and maker education. By revealing some of the ways that the values have been embraced, reinterpreted, remixed or rejected as the movement has gained global momentum, this paper intends to establish a greater appreciation for the diversity and complexity of the maker movement and maker education in the global context. Ultimately, this complex, multifaceted remixing reveals a deeper understanding of why the movement has been or may be embraced by diverse nations across the globe.
Literature
go back to reference Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., Freeman, A., Hall Giesinger, C., & Ananthanarayanan, V. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition [electronic version]. Austin: The New Media Consortium. Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., Freeman, A., Hall Giesinger, C., & Ananthanarayanan, V. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition [electronic version]. Austin: The New Media Consortium.
go back to reference Braybrooke, K., & Jordan, T. (2017). Genealogy, culture and technomyth: Decolonizing Western information technologies, from open source to the maker movement [electronic version]. Digital Culture and Society, 3(1), 25–46. https://doi.org/10.14361/dcs-2017-0103. Braybrooke, K., & Jordan, T. (2017). Genealogy, culture and technomyth: Decolonizing Western information technologies, from open source to the maker movement [electronic version]. Digital Culture and Society, 3(1), 25–46. https://​doi.​org/​10.​14361/​dcs-2017-0103.
go back to reference Davies, S. R. (2017). Hackerspaces: Making the maker movement. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. Davies, S. R. (2017). Hackerspaces: Making the maker movement. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
go back to reference Dougherty, D. (2013). The maker mindset. In M. Honey & D. Kantor (Eds.), Design, make, play: Growing the next generation of STEM innovators (pp. 7–11). New York, NY: Routledge. Dougherty, D. (2013). The maker mindset. In M. Honey & D. Kantor (Eds.), Design, make, play: Growing the next generation of STEM innovators (pp. 7–11). New York, NY: Routledge.
go back to reference Dougherty, D. (2016). Free to make: How the maker movement is changing our schools, our jobs, and our minds. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. Dougherty, D. (2016). Free to make: How the maker movement is changing our schools, our jobs, and our minds. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
go back to reference Freeman, A., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., & Hall Giesinger, C. (2017). NMC/CoSN horizon report: 2017 K–12 edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Freeman, A., Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., & Hall Giesinger, C. (2017). NMC/CoSN horizon report: 2017 K–12 edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
go back to reference Guek, F. S. (2015). Makerspace at Singapore polytechnic [electronic version]. Singapore Journal of Library and. Information Management, 44, 1–10. Guek, F. S. (2015). Makerspace at Singapore polytechnic [electronic version]. Singapore Journal of Library and. Information Management, 44, 1–10.
go back to reference Hatch, M. (2014). The maker manifesto: Rules for innovation in the new world of crafters, hackers, and tinkerers. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Hatch, M. (2014). The maker manifesto: Rules for innovation in the new world of crafters, hackers, and tinkerers. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
go back to reference Hlubinka, M., Dougherty, D., Thomas, P., Chang, S., Hoefer, S., Alexander, I., & McGuire, D. (2013). Makerspace playbook (School ed.). San Francisco, CA: Maker Media. Hlubinka, M., Dougherty, D., Thomas, P., Chang, S., Hoefer, S., Alexander, I., & McGuire, D. (2013). Makerspace playbook (School ed.). San Francisco, CA: Maker Media.
go back to reference Hsu, Y.-C., Baldwin, S., & Ching, Y.-H. (2017). Learning through making and maker education. TechTrends, 61(6), 589–594. Hsu, Y.-C., Baldwin, S., & Ching, Y.-H. (2017). Learning through making and maker education. TechTrends, 61(6), 589–594.
go back to reference Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015a). NMC horizon report: 2015 K-12 edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015a). NMC horizon report: 2015 K-12 edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
go back to reference Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015b). NMC horizon report: 2015 library edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015b). NMC horizon report: 2015 library edition [Electronic version]. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
go back to reference Lindtner, S. (2015). Hacking with Chinese characteristics: The promises of the maker movement against China’s manufacturing culture [electronic version]. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 40(5), 854–879.CrossRef Lindtner, S. (2015). Hacking with Chinese characteristics: The promises of the maker movement against China’s manufacturing culture [electronic version]. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 40(5), 854–879.CrossRef
go back to reference Masramli, S. M. (2014, July/august). Soldering on for maker’s sake [electronic version]. Challenge: Approaching the Public Service Differently, 4, 16–17. Masramli, S. M. (2014, July/august). Soldering on for maker’s sake [electronic version]. Challenge: Approaching the Public Service Differently, 4, 16–17.
go back to reference McCue, T. J. (2011, November 15). First public library to create a maker space. Forbes Retrieved March 3, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2011/11/15/first-‘public-library-to-create-a-maker-space/#45680b7879cf McCue, T. J. (2011, November 15). First public library to create a maker space. Forbes Retrieved March 3, 2018, from https://​www.​forbes.​com/​sites/​tjmccue/​2011/​11/​15/​first-‘public-library-to-create-a-maker-space/#45680b7879cf
go back to reference Mitra, S., Dangwal, R., Chatterjee, S., Jha, S., Bisht, R. S., & Kapur, P. (2005). Acquisition of computing literacy on shared public computers: Children and the "hole in the wall" [electronic version]. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 21(3), 407–426.CrossRef Mitra, S., Dangwal, R., Chatterjee, S., Jha, S., Bisht, R. S., & Kapur, P. (2005). Acquisition of computing literacy on shared public computers: Children and the "hole in the wall" [electronic version]. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 21(3), 407–426.CrossRef
go back to reference O’Reilly, T. (2016). Forward. In D. Dougherty, Free to make: How the maker movement is changing our schools, our jobs, and our minds (pp. xi-xiii). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. O’Reilly, T. (2016). Forward. In D. Dougherty, Free to make: How the maker movement is changing our schools, our jobs, and our minds (pp. xi-xiii). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
go back to reference Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York, NY: Basic Books. Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York, NY: Basic Books.
go back to reference Peppler, K., & Bender, S. (2013). Maker movement spreads innovation one project at a time [electronic version]. Phi Delta Kappan Magazine, 95(3), 22–27.CrossRef Peppler, K., & Bender, S. (2013). Maker movement spreads innovation one project at a time [electronic version]. Phi Delta Kappan Magazine, 95(3), 22–27.CrossRef
go back to reference Piaget, J. (1976). To understand is to invent: The future of education. New York, NY: Penguin Books. Piaget, J. (1976). To understand is to invent: The future of education. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
go back to reference Roslund, S., & Rodgers, E. P. (2014). Makerspaces. Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing. Roslund, S., & Rodgers, E. P. (2014). Makerspaces. Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing.
go back to reference Saunders, T., & Kingsley, J. (2016). Made in China: Makerspaces and the search for mass innovation. London, England: Nesta. Saunders, T., & Kingsley, J. (2016). Made in China: Makerspaces and the search for mass innovation. London, England: Nesta.
go back to reference Schön, S., Ebnar, M., & Kumar, S. (2014). The maker movement: Implications of new digital gadgets, fabrication tools and spaces for creative learning and teaching [electronic version]. eLearning Papers, 39, 14–25. Schön, S., Ebnar, M., & Kumar, S. (2014). The maker movement: Implications of new digital gadgets, fabrication tools and spaces for creative learning and teaching [electronic version]. eLearning Papers, 39, 14–25.
go back to reference Seow, P., Looi, C., Wadhwa, B., Wu, L., & Liu, L. (2017). Computational thinking and coding initiatives in Singapore. In S. C. Kong, J. Sheldon, & K. Y. Li (Eds.), Conference Proceedings of International Conference on Computational Thinking Education 2017 (pp. 164–167). Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong. Seow, P., Looi, C., Wadhwa, B., Wu, L., & Liu, L. (2017). Computational thinking and coding initiatives in Singapore. In S. C. Kong, J. Sheldon, & K. Y. Li (Eds.), Conference Proceedings of International Conference on Computational Thinking Education 2017 (pp. 164–167). Hong Kong: The Education University of Hong Kong.
go back to reference Sivek, S. C. (2011). “We need a showing of all hands”: Technological utopianism in Make Magazine [electronic version]. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 35(3), 187–209. Sivek, S. C. (2011). “We need a showing of all hands”: Technological utopianism in Make Magazine [electronic version]. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 35(3), 187–209.
Metadata
Title
Makerspaces in Diverse Places: A Comparative Analysis of Distinctive National Discourses Surrounding the Maker Movement and Education in Four Countries
Authors
Natalie Roote Irie
Yu-Chang Hsu
Yu-Hui Ching
Publication date
28-11-2018
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
TechTrends / Issue 4/2019
Print ISSN: 8756-3894
Electronic ISSN: 1559-7075
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-018-0355-9

Other articles of this Issue 4/2019

TechTrends 4/2019 Go to the issue

Editor’s Notes

Editor’s Notes

Premium Partner