The maker movement is a growing social phenomenon that is being embraced in various fields, including education. There are many advantages to incorporating making into education, especially in engineering design, such as supporting real-life application of knowledge, multidisciplinary collaboration, problem-solving and teamwork. Elements that have not been looked at in the literature are the impacts of these making elements on students, more specifically on their feelings of inclusion in making and engineering environments. The extent of the impacts of making on project outcomes and teamwork in project-based learning engineering design courses are also contested. This thesis fills those research gaps by exploring students’ feelings and behaviours in a university makerspace and cornerstone engineering design courses. The general objectives are to study the effects of the makerspace as well as team dynamics and personality traits on student perception and behaviour in the Faculty of Engineering, specifically in cornerstone engineering design courses. This will be achieved by exploring factors that lead to feelings of inclusion in making and engineering, identify reasons students participate in these communities and exploring factors that influence team performance in a project-based engineering design course. Three studies are then conducted to meet these objectives. The first study found that in both the making and engineering contexts, connecting with the identity, participation and distinctiveness were identified as themes that provide reasons for feeling or not feeling included. Sustained involvement was identified as being an important factor in leading to increased feelings of inclusion. The second study found a difference between men and women, where the adjusted project grade for male students can be in part explained by some personality traits, but no traits were found to be significant for female students. The average team conscientiousness was also found to be a predictor of the team project grade. The last study found that the course has an equalizing effect on feelings of inclusion for students in engineering. Making seems to have the same effect as engineering for male students; however, not for females. Adjusted project grade was also found to be a significant predictor of the change in scores for all students’ feelings of inclusion in making and for the female students’ feelings of inclusion in engineering.

This dissertation explores the maker economy and culture in Detroit, MI and Portland, OR and queries the "Made in Place" branding strategy that relies so heavily on a shared imagination of cities, identities, and values. Bridging the gap between urban economic development, political economy, and affect theory, this dissertation is centrally concerned with how imagination works as a commons and how such "imaginaries" shape each city's milieu of small, entrepreneurial, artisanal producers ("makers"). The constituent elements of "Made in" branding "made" and "place" suggest common understandings of each; this sense of coherence is critical for how value is added to a maker's product. Rather than coherence, however, my data revealed a great deal of tension and ambiguity: how can something be coherent, ambiguous, and mobilized as economic value all at the same time? I answer this question by analyzing data from over 70 interviews with makers in Detroit and Portland, two cities experiencing rapid development and perceptive shifts from "old" to "new." I conclude that the various imaginaries so critical to "Made in Place" branding suggest not just economic rationality, but also a desire for stability in a turbulent world. Theoretically informed by Lauren Berlant, Gilles Deleuze, and Walter Benjamin, I argue that makers' imaginaries of identity, value, and place provide a collective sense of grounding amidst the flux of transition and uncertainty.

The Maker Movement is a rapidly moving development towards non-traditional education through hands-on creation of technological artifacts, indicating tremendous potential for attracting previously marginalized groups underrepresented in science and technology fields. The movement is compellingly situated as the intersection of an expansive array of interdisciplinary efforts and thus equipped to be leveraged by women and girls who are more likely to originate from artistic and creative backgrounds. Women who make are severely underrepresented in all documented embodiments of the maker movement, including maker media, events, and tangible collaborative spaces. This study explores the possibilities of removing barriers to entry into making for women by converging upon the narrow focus of online makerspaces, engaging with the denizens of the space, and scrutinizing the manner in which they participate in the broader maker community. The timeliness of this probe into women’s personal engagement with science and technology making is indicated by the convergence of discussion surrounding the underrepresentation of women in STEM and approaches to increasing accessibility through making as a natural point of entry.

Orientador: Dorival Campos Rossi / Resumo: Esta pesquisa consiste na produção audiovisual de um documentário sobre o audiovisual no movimento maker. A metodologia maker com a filosofia do Do It Yourself (DIY) é a principal forma de estruturação do projeto. A narrativa é construída a partir de depoimentos de especialistas e registro de locais, como FAB LABs e feiras, atividades, dentre maratonas (hackathon e jams) e oficinas, com enfoque nas funções das produções audiovisuais nesses meios. A produção consiste em um vídeo documental, para plataforma on-line de livre acesso, em que tratará das funções das produções audiovisuais do universo maker. Além da produção audiovisual (roteiro, direção de arte, fotografia, captação de vídeo e som, edição e publicação), todo o material gráfico como logo, lower third, e vinheta foram produzidos para complementar o processo visual e torná-lo mais intenso. Tendo em vista que não localizamos, em nossa pesquisa bibliográfica, nenhum material audiovisual produzido que relacione tal universo a aspectos teóricos, práticos, tecnológicos e sociais. Este projeto visa expandir para além dos muros da universidade um conhecimento aprofundado, transmitido por vídeo, com potencial de propagação e engajamento muito maior do que de um texto, sobre uma tendência que vem se revelando cada vez mais promissora em nosso contexto atual. / Abstract: This research consists of the audiovisual production of a documentary about the audiovisual in the maker movement. The maker methodology with the Do It Yourself (DIY) philosophy is the main form of structuring the project. The narrative is built from expert testimonies and registration of places, such as FAB LABs and fairs, activities, among marathons (hackathon and jams) and workshops, with a focus on the functions of audiovisual productions in these media. The production consists of a documentary video, for an online platform with free access, in which it will deal with the functions of the audiovisual productions of the maker universe. In addition to audiovisual production (script, art direction, photography, video and sound recording, editing and publishing), all graphic material such as logo, lower third, and vignette were produced to complement the visual process and make it more intense. Bearing in mind that we did not find, in our bibliographic research, any audiovisual material produced that relates such universe to theoretical, practical, technological and social aspects, this project aims to expand beyond the walls of the university a deep knowledge, transmitted by video, with potential propagation and engagement much greater than that of a text, on a trend that has been proving increasingly promising in our current context. / Mestre

This paper discusses the creation of a makerspace on Mississippi State’s campus. A makerspace is a location that provides prototyping and design tools, and is made available to students, faculty, and staff. The process of starting, staffing, and funding the space are discussed, as well as, the liability of operating the space. The paper outlines the operation of the space as a student organization partnered with the university, and the unique approach of networking existing campus resources into a shared organizational structure.

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Partindo da suposição de que o design é uma disciplina em constante transformação e que as últimas décadas têm sido marcadas pelo crescente desenvolvimento de processos de abertura de autoria e produção nos mais variados meios (tecnológicos, científicos e culturais), a pesquisa pretende investigar como a emergência da questão da colaboração interfere na disciplina do design na atualidade. Apesar de hoje a questão da colaboração estar adquirindo força e visibilidade devido a mudanças culturais baseadas nas tecnologias da informação e comunicação, podem ser observadas manifestações que já tratam de formas de colaboração desde as décadas de 1960 e 1970, seja no campo teórico e crítico como no artístico, literário ou do design. O termo e os princípios do Open Design ou design aberto , cunhados recentemente para dar conta de mudanças mais recentes na disciplina, têm sua origem no conceito Open Source, originário da área da informática, sendo ambos impulsionados a partir do incômodo gerado pelo oferecimento de produtos que não permitem modificações para atender a necessidades pessoais, sejam eles softwares ou objetos. Entretanto, embora os movimentos que se classificam como pertencentes ao universo desse design colaborativo tomem como central a característica emancipatória que a atividade estaria trazendo ao usuário, quando assumem as ferramentas de projeto e produção de uma maneira que se pretende acessível, colaborativa e independente da indústria de massa, é perceptível que algumas críticas a respeito do movimento têm se desenhado, baseando-se em certa distância que por vezes tem se estabelecido entre discursos e práticas. O trabalho tem por objetivo identificar frentes colaborativas do design na atualidade e discutí-las criticamente, de forma a aproximá-las para que o movimento de adaptação do design, hoje disperso em linhas variadas, possa ser melhor compreendido como uma totalidade em seu processo de transformação. / Based on the assumption that design is a discipline in constant transformation and the last decades have been marked by an increasing development of openness in processes of authorship and production, in the most varied environments (technological, scientific and cultural), the research intends to investigate how the emergence of the collaboration interferes on design nowadays. Although today the issue of collaboration is gaining strength and visibility due to cultural changes based on information and communication technologies, its possible to observe manifestations that have dealt with forms of collaboration since the 1960s and 1970s, both in the theoretical/ critical field, and in artistic, literary and design fields. The term and the principles of Open Design, recently coined to account for more recent changes in the discipline have their origin in the Open Source concept, originating in the area of computer science, both of which are boosted by the annoyance generated by the offer of products that do not allow modifications to meet personal needs, be they softwares or objects. However, although the movements classified as belonging to the universe of the collaborative design take as central the emancipatory characteristic that the activity would be bringing to the user, when assumes the tools of design and production in a way that is accessible, collaborative and independent of the industry it is noticeable that some criticisms of the movement is drawing, based on a certain distance that sometimes is establishing between discourses and practices. The objective of this work is to identify collaborative fronts of design in the present time and to discuss them critically, in order to approximate them so that the movement of adaptation of the design, now dispersed in varied lines, can be better understood as a totality in its process of transformation.

abstract: The 21st century will be the site of numerous changes in education systems in response to a rapidly evolving technological environment where existing skill sets and career structures may cease to exist or, at the very least, change dramatically. Likewise, the nature of work will also change to become more automated and more technologically intensive across all sectors, from food service to scientific research. Simply having technical expertise or the ability to process and retain facts will in no way guarantee success in higher education or a satisfying career. Instead, the future will value those educated in a way that encourages collaboration with technology, critical thinking, creativity, clear communication skills, and strong lifelong learning strategies. These changes pose a challenge for higher education’s promise of employability and success post-graduation. Addressing how to prepare students for a technologically uncertain future is challenging. One possible model for education to prepare students for the future of work can be found within the Maker Movement. However, it is not fully understood what parts of this movement are most meaningful to implement in education more broadly, and higher education in particular. Through the qualitative analysis of nearly 160 interviews of adult makers, young makers and young makers’ parents, this dissertation unpacks how makers are learning, what they are learning, and how these qualities are applicable to education goals and the future of work in the 21st century. This research demonstrates that makers are learning valuable skills to prepare them for the future of work in the 21st century. Makers are learning communication skills, technical skills in fabrication and design, and developing lifelong learning strategies that will help prepare them for life in an increasingly technologically integrated future. This work discusses what aspects of the Maker Movement are most important for integration into higher education. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology 2017

Orientador: Dorival Campos Rossi / Resumo: Há uma problemática imensa entre as produções e os consumos em nossa sociedade. Se o nosso desejo opera por produção, registro e consumo, nas sociedades pré-industriais eles eram esferas da mesma subjetividade, mas com o surgimento do ‘casa de ferreiro espeto é de pau’, dos modelos de produção da sociedade industrial, começou-se a fabricar aquilo que não se consumia, e começou a se produzir muito. O registro se estabeleceu pelas narrativas que nos são despejadas diariamente, e o consumo, ora, é só o que fazemos. Essa dissociação do processo do viver impera sobre nós limitações cruéis. Identificamos aqui nosso foco: a despotencialização da subjetividade pela expropriação da produção desejante de si, pela introjeção de consumos pelas vias do capitalismo mundial integrado e que se registra pela lógica do mais-valor. E assim apontamos nossa hipótese: de que a reapropriação de máquinas desejantes das mais diversas pela experiência do fazer será capaz de acordar o corpo, despertar a mente e reativar os mecanismos do desejo no sujeito despotencializado. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é compreender as forças repressivas que atuam sobre os corpos numa dita sociedade pós-industrial e neoliberal e apontar o movimento maker como um modo de subjetivação que nos permita enfrentar tais forças repressivas, encontrando nos FAB LABs, e principalmente na rede FAB LAB Livre da cidade de São Paulo, a primeira e única rede de laboratórios públicos do mundo, apontamentos sobre como o empoderamento... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: There is intense problem between production and consumption in our society. If our desire functions through production, registration and consumption, in the pre-industrial society these were all spheres within the same subjectivity, but with the appearance of the “the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot”, the mode of production in the industrial society, were have started producing that which we do not consume. The record was established by the narratives that are poured onto us daily, and consumption, well, that is just what we do. This dissociation of the process of living, reigns over us setting its cruel boundaries. Here we identify our focus: the depotentialization of subjectivity by the expropriation of desiring production itself, by the introjection of consumption through the paths of integrated world capitalism and registered by surplus value logic. And so, propose our hypothesis: that the re-appropriation of the most diverse desiring machines by the experience of doing, will be able to wake the body, awaken the mind and reactivate the mechanisms of desire in the depotentialized subject. The general objective of this work is to comprehend the repressive forces that act over bodies in the so called post-industrial and neoliberal society and indicate the maker movement as the mode of subjectivation that allows us to face these repressive forces, finding in FAB LABs, and mainly in the FAB LAB Livre SP network, in São Paulo, the first and only public laboratories network... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

While the computer programing becomes a fundamental skill in the last century, it has been globally acknowledged that there is a decline in number of graduates in disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Many scholars have been addressing this lack of interest and studied student engagement with STEM through variety of engagement programs and activities. In this master thesis as an exploratory qualitative study, technology and programing are blended together in a workshop hosting students of age 12-13 towards the development of their enthusiasm and engagement with STEM. During the activity, students used Makey Makey toolkit and Scartch programming language by application of textiles as soft material to investigate how this combination impact the engagement, and in what ways soft materials influence it. The study results in the light of Flow theory showed that four attributes of attention, motivation, engagement and social interaction pursued in the workshop. Textiles, as a mediator by expanding the flow state boundaries make the activity softer to encourage students being engaged in it, particularly from a gender perspective.