abstract: As an urgency has emerged to prepare students to be future-ready, makerspaces have been developed as a technique for teachers to use in classrooms to build science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. Makerspaces expose students to innovation and are powerful tools in training students to use science and engineering practices as they invent, discover and tinker. While indoor makerspaces have been studied in multiple settings, little research has been performed to understand the relevance of makerspaces in outdoor settings. The goal of this study was to aid 20 elementary teachers in developing their understanding of the usefulness and benefits of outdoor makerspaces. A constructivist approach was used in order for participants to overcome pre-conceived barriers about taking students outside for learning. In this qualitative study, participants took part in a hands-on professional development session to learn how to integrate nature into instruction, then used outdoor spaces to engage their own students in three or more outdoor sessions. Teachers reflected before, during and after the intervention to see if the likelihood of engaging students in outdoor learning changed. The findings of the study showed that spending time outside with students led to a multitude of benefits for both students and teachers. Benefits included increased student engagement, expanded learning for students and teachers, and STEM skill development. These findings, suggest that outdoor makerspaces introduce a new platform for training students and teachers about science and engineering practices while providing authentic science connections, high engagement, and benefits to social and emotional balance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2020

Orientador: Galdenoro Botura Junior / Banca: Andrea Castello Branco Judice / Banca: José Carlos Plácido da Silva / Resumo: Os cursos de Design no Brasil têm a sua estruturação curricular oriunda da década de 60, tendo ocorrido poucas modificações desde então. Porém, nos cursos de Design, espera-se de seus alunos atividades que envolvam constante criatividade e inovação. Uma reformulação em seu método de ensino, principalmente com um maior número de atividades práticas em grupo, poderá aumentar a motivação de seus alunos, bem como propiciar uma formação que melhor atenda às necessidades do mercado. Para viabilizar estas novas realidades, surge a necessidade de se analisar metodologias diferenciadas e condizentes com a atualidade, tais como a cultura do open design e da maker. Esses pensamentos permitem levar tanto educadores como aprendizes a observar o ato de projetar sob uma nova perspectiva. A viabilidade existente de uma grade curricular que adote novos paradigmas, inclua o uso de espaços colaborativos, vir a incentivar a experimentação, elevar a expectativa de seus estudantes para poderem vir a se tornar empreendedores e criarem soluções com mais criatividade e inovação, além de ter maior interação com a comunidade ao atendê-la, é o principal motivo de se iniciar a pesquisa que aqui se encontra apresentada. Dentro deste contexto, a pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar e propor, usando os conceitos de ergonomia organizacional, um ambiente que gere, por meio da participação efetiva dos alunos do curso de Design, inovação, criatividade e empreendedorismo. Para isso foram entrevistados alunos, coo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The Brazilian Design courses has its structure based on the 60's decade and had few modifications since. However, in Design courses, it is expected from students to develop activities with constant creativity and innovation. A new formulation on the teaching method, especially with a larger number of group activities, could raise the student's motivation; as well provide a better graduation that attends the market needs. To make this new reality work, it is necessary to analyze different methodologies consistent with the reality of Design, such as maker culture and open design. These thoughts allow leading educators and students to observe the projecting act under a new perspective. The viability of a existing curricular grade that adopts new paradigms, includes the use of collaborative spaces, encouraging experimentation, rise the students expectations so that they become entrepreneurs and create innovative solutions with creativity, and even more, have a greater community interaction by attending it, that is the main goal of this research. In this context, this research had as its objective study and propose, using ergonomics concepts, a space that generates, by means of effective Design student participation, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. To achieve that were interviewed students, Design courses coordinators, fabrication laboratory employees and co working spaces owners with the intention to analyze the perception about entrepreneurship and innovation in the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The objective of this study is to create an overview of the existing research on makerspaces in libraries. It examines what the publication patterns look like and which subjects the research covers. Eleven academic articles have been studied and analysed with regards to bibliometric data and also by means of thematic content analysis. The analysis builds on R. David Lankes' theory that the mission of the library is to create a better society by facilitating knowledge creation in the community. The results show that research on makerspaces in libraries is still very limited, although the field covers many different aspects of the subject. Most of the research comes from USA and most of it has been published in the research area of Social science. The most cited article among the studied articles is written by Groenendyk & Gallant, and the article most cited by the studied authors is written by Lauren Britton. The themes discovered in the content analysis consists of descriptions of makerspaces, accessibility, makerspaces and users, makerspaces and society, the future of libraries and makerspaces in practice. The study also shows that makerspaces can be a way for libraries to fulfill R. David Lankes' mission of knowledge creation.

Makerspaces are fertile grounds for students to develop innovative products infused with STEAM principles and cross disciplinary content knowledge; build technological fluency; and support positive developmental growth. Yet, rarely do Makerspaces prioritize these outcomes. Rather, they tend to revolve around the creation of novel objects using cutting-edge technology; craftwork unhinged from their historical, social, political, or academically-relevant underpinnings; and/or the hacking of so-called “black boxes”. What happens when an educator designs and implements a research-based and content-driven in-school Makerspace? Drawing on field observations, interviews, artifact analysis, and the Developmental Assets Profile (DAP) survey, this mixed methods study explored the experiences of students from two urban middle school classes (n=51) who participated in a social action themed Makerspace called the “Tech Café.” Working from a transformative research perspective, the Tech Café also sought to address the “participation divide”— a term suggesting that higher socioeconomic status students have more opportunity to produce media creatively than students of low socioeconomic status. Qualitative results indicated that students reported increased agency in their ability to effect positive change in their world. They engaged in powerful collaborations with diverse members of the school’s learning community as they worked toward solutions using low- and high-technology tools. Their products included a cigarette smoke detecting shirt, an edible insect bug stand, and a stationary making kit utilizing recycled paper. Student profiles incorporated their chosen social issue; steps and challenges in product creation; and outcomes pertaining to technological fluency and sense of agency to affect change. Findings showed that students may have benefited from scaffolding to deepen their understanding of important social issues through research. Quantitative results of the DAP were statistically analyzed according to measures of Positive Identity, Positive Values, Commitment to Learning, Empowerment, and Social Competencies and indicated that no statistically significant differences existed in the pretest-posttest survey scores of participants (n=30). However, a descriptive analysis of score improvement showed that students who successfully created products in the Tech Café moved to higher DAP score ranges more often than those who did not create products. The study concludes with recommendations pertaining to the implementation of Makerspaces in schools.

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.

Current jobs in a global economy require more complex cognitive skills, such as critical thinking, cooperation, creativity, and collaboration, in addition to content knowledge. To address these areas, researchers have suggested the use of a 'makerspace' in schools. As with many other establishments, my school remodeled the primary school to create a makerspace for developing these skills. What impact might a makerspace -- a physical as well as a curricular change -- have on teachers' individual and collaborative learning? The purpose of this case study was to describe how the makerspace concept and changes to classroom or instructional space influence teachers' beliefs and practices as they develop the curriculum, follow the existing curriculum, revise ideas, and share knowledge with others. Our school branded the newest structural change 'Innovation Alley'. Under the leadership of the School Division Head, the concept of Innovation Alley was embedded in an effort to emphasize Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math (STEAM) and the Library, and combine them for cross-curricular purposes. Drawing on field observations, interviews, and analysis of artifacts, videos, and other documents, I worked with and interviewed four of my colleagues to describe features of the emerging classroom or instructional spaces to consider how we developed our practice in this environment. I found that teachers placed high value on community, administrative, peer support, and shared knowledge-building in mitigating the stressors related to the innovation. There also appears to be a relationship between teachers' understanding of the makerspace development and their sense of control. When participants expressed interest in embracing the makerspace, they also indicated that they understood what they were doing. When they expressed a sense of loss of control or stress, they would often refer to using more traditional methods of teaching.

Makerspaces are a popular, new concept being implemented in public, academic, and school libraries, and as stand-alone spaces. The literature reflects the newness of the topic with a limited number of articles and studies and even less about the users of makerspaces themselves. This study explored information sharing behaviors in the Dallas Makerspace as an informal learning environment and described their preferred method of information transfer from one member to another. It employed a mixed methods methodology using surveys, interviews and observations. The study identified how the rules and policies in place at the makerspace influence the information seeking process and how the Dallas Makerspace exchanges information effectively. Dallas Makerspace is one of the largest non-profit work groups in its size, and this research study answers how information is exchanged in an informal environment.

<p dir="ltr">We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, and manufacturers are looking<br>to digitally transform their processes in order to leverage new technologies such as adap-<br>tive automation, virtual reality and digital twin driven simulation. A key aspect of this<br>revolution compared to previous is the increased availability of data and accessibility of<br>machines throughout the production process enabled by cyber-physical systems (CPS) and<br>IoT. However, the integration of many devices is challenging, requiring significant capital<br>and expertise. This can limit smaller players from benefiting from technological gains as<br>well as stymie research, particularly advanced human-computer-interaction (HCI) investiga-<br>tions which are becoming increasingly relevant.<br>Thus in this thesis we develop a framework for CPS creation and communication that<br>is amenable to the needs of HCI and convergence research. We develop several middleware<br>components to bridge the communication gap of many common fabrication machines and<br>other devices. The middleware translates device specific protocols into a shared language to<br>alleviate the user interface (UI) programs of this responsibility and promote reuse. Addi-<br>tionally, we develop an extension to the glTF model format to leverage this shared protocol<br>to enable the UI to load and interact with an arbitrary number of devices in an intuitive<br>manner at runtime. Finally, we discuss several applications to demonstrate the system’s<br>utility for research.</p>

This thesis explores the interdisciplinary approach to learning at Makerzone, a makerspace in Sollentuna, Sweden, and its implications for both students and teachers. Through a combination of methods: observations, interviews, document analysis, and surveys, this project looks into the recognition, benefits, challenges, and support for interdisciplinary work in both makerspaces such as Makerzone and traditional school environments. The results reveal that Makerzone offers a unique learning environment that bridges the gap between theory and practical work, aligning with the learning theories such as constructivism and the sociocultural theory. Students and teachers recognise the importance of merging knowledge from different subjects, preparing students for skills which will be required in the 21st century future workspace. This investigation thereby highlights the benefits of interdisciplinary work, such as enhanced learning experiences, broader understanding of technology, and increased motivation and engagement. Some challenges that were identified include the integration of similar inter-disciplinary projects into the regular school environment, gaps in digital competence for teachers, and gender dynamics in engagement with projects. The study concludes by emphasising the potential of makerspaces like Makerzone in transforming education. By nurturing interdisciplinary learning, promoting real-world applications, and maintaining connections with local industries, makerspaces can provide students with a comprehensive, relevant, and inspiring educational experience. / Detta examensarbete utforskar det ämnesövergripande lärandet på Makerzone, en makerspace i Sollentuna, Sverige, och dess konsekvenser för både elever och lärare. Genom en kombination av metoder: observationer, intervjuer, dokumentanalys och enkäter, undersöker detta projekt förståelse, fördelar, utmaningar och stöd för ämnesövergripande arbete i både makerspaces somMakerzone och traditionella skolmiljöer. Resultaten visar att Makerzone erbjuder en unik inlärningsmiljö som överbryggar klyftan mellan teori och praktiskt arbete, i linje med lärandeteorier som konstruktivism och den sociokulturella teorin. Elever och lärare erkänner vikten av att sammanslå kunskap från olika ämnen, vilket förbereder elever för färdigheter som kommer att krävas i 2000-talets framtida arbetsplatser. Denna undersökning belyser därmed fördelarna med ämnesövergripande arbete, såsom förbättrade inlärningsupplevelser, bredare förståelse för teknik samt ökad motivation och engagemang. Några utmaningar som identifierades inkluderar integrationen av liknande ämnesövergripande projekt i den vanliga skolmiljön, brister i digital kompetens för lärare och könsdynamik i engagemang med projekt. Studien avslutas med att betona makerspaces som Makerzones potential att förvandla utbildning. Genom att fostra ämnesövergripande lärande, främja praktiska tillämpningar och upprätthålla förbindelser med lokala industrier kan makerspaces erbjuda elever en heltäckande, relevant och inspirerande pedagogisk upplevelse.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the opinions of Swedish public library staff, managing makerspaces, regarding the role of their spaces. The material is derived from four semi-structured interwievs with, and four e-mail answers from staff managing makerspaces at seven public libraries in Sweden. Directed content analysis was used to interpret the results of the empirical study. The theoretical framework is based on a model for library development presented in 2012 by the Danish researchers Henrik Jochumsen, Casper Hvenegaard Rasmussen, and Dorte Skot-Hansen. According to the model, the library´s mission is to support the following four goals: experience, involvement, empowerment, and innovation. The model also presents four spaces, in which the goals should be supported. These spaces are: the inspiration space, the learning space, the meeting space, and the performative space. The results show that the interviewees view makerspaces in their public libraries as a way to promote democracy and digital inclusion by offering collaborative learnings spaces.