Methodology for educational making activities (II)
This methodological guide has been created from observations and lessons learnt during the consortiums’ experience in creative activities and digital fabrication, as well as combining state of the art research from each of our countries. We aims to help orientate readers with information, advice and ideas, which will allow these activities to be incorporated easily and smoothly into day to day practices, in an organised, thought out and prepared manner.
It should be taken as a road map and applied accordingly to the reality of the situation at hand. We encourage modification, personalisation and expansion in order to allow this framework to match up with any specific scenario or environment.
Makerspaces 4 Inclusion
Makerspaces are playing a key role in supporting young people in learning about values, civility, good attitudes, competences and skills, especially around education for coexistence and personal development. These inclusive aspects of makerspaces and the attention they give to encourage diversity, make them increasingly attractive to young people as a space where they can be creative and participate in a range of activities. Therefore, we believe that personal attention, organisation of activities and the adaptation of spaces are all incredibly important in successfully generating an inclusive environment.
This guide is intended to introduce you to helpful ideas and guidelines for designing makerspace activities and spaces that are inviting to young people of all abilities. The idea of inclusive design is explored, as well as how to design a makerspace or educational making activity that all children, regardless of their strengths, weaknesses or social situation, can enjoy.
By designing for inclusion, and beginning from a perspective of “strengths”, you can create a makerspace that is designed with everyone in mind and that challenges and supports children with a wide range of abilities. For example, a blind child’s strengths are their heightened sense of touch, hearing and smell. How can these senses be better used in a makerspace for both sighted and non-sighted children?
For an inclusive activity or space, you must consider how you might create spaces of “intersection”. “Intersections” create opportunities for children of all abilities to interact together. The work and the words of Sylvia Martinez are inspiration for this consortium.
The idea of inclusion is not only important for community organizations or schools serving underserved populations. Every makerspace should be aware of their capacity to serve all people: children and adults, all genders, all backgrounds, and those who are interested in the arts, engineering, or both. Even in the best-resourced maker environments, there should be constant vigilance about the assumptions that are made about the people who might want to use them.
To create inclusive experiences in makerspaces, facilitators should consider these factors:
- Empower learners not just to be passive objects of the activities, but to include them as allies and advocates for making things that matter to them.
- Culturally responsive, situated, and relevant doesn’t mean asking students to write hip hop lyrics about the scientific method. But it doesn’t mean ignoring hip hop either. Seeing cultural practices in a maker light can open doors and blur the lines between facilitators and learners.
- Sensitivity to surroundings. Research shows that girls react to surroundings that reflect stereotypical “hacker” culture by denying that they are interested in science and engineering. If you aren’t sure what vibe your classroom or makerspace is communicating, ask some kids.
- Reduce competition. Both overt contests and more subtle competition, like competition caused by a lack of adequate materials and tools, can reduce participation of girls. It can also be a barrier for beginners and learners who don’t see themselves as “technical.” The competition aspect raises the stakes to a level that is too risky for learners to jump in and try something they may actually enjoy.
- Don’t advantage one kind of building over another. Robots are cool, but the same technologies of micro-controllers, sensors, motors, and lights could make smart clothes, a useful invention for an elderly aunt, or better still, something no one has thought of before. Provide incentives, multiple on-ramps, praise, and glory for all kinds of making.
There are many, many examples of makerspaces, both community and school-based, that work to empower everyone, not just those who want to build robots. Creating these experiences means that everyone can benefit from the learning that happens when hands-on is combined with heads-in. Makerspaces should be about empowering people, all people, to experiment with ways to make sense of the world, to make the world a better place, and to make meaning in their lives.
Sylvia Martinez “Making for All: How to Build an Inclusive Makerspace”
Why this methodological guide?
Through observing the current methodologies which make up the world of digital fabrication (from educational robotics to 3D printing or from teaching code to activities based on STEAM), as a consortium we believe that there is a need to establish a script of best practice to ensure the quality of these types of activities are maintained. The scope of best practice includes pedagogical, spatial design, tools and methodological aspects.
This guide aims to put into words the methods we have used when creating inclusive makerspaces. We want to share the accumulated experience of all consortium members from their realisation of projects and activities that are of a technological and pedagogical nature. We hope it will be useful for anyone wanting to start, include or promote activities that combine technology, art and education.
We have a growing scenario in the areas of; digital fabrication, robotics and innovative technology, where parents across many countries and cities are wanting their children to learn the basic skills which these technical areas are built upon, including; coding, robotics and 3D printing. However, for this, well-prepared professionals (teachers, facilitators, volunteers, educators, technicians), trained with the necessary pedagogical and technical assets are required.
This methodological guide has been made by the consortium of the European Project, Makerspace for Inclusion Nº 2018-l-BE0S-KA205–002425, with the participation of the following associations:
Digijeunes (France), Timelab (Belgium), Horizonlab (Italy), Nod Makerspace (Romania), MakerConvent-Trànsit Projectes (Spain).
