Board 97: MAKER: Identifying Practices of Inclusion in Maker and Hacker Spaces with Diverse Participation

Adam Stark Masters; Lisa D. McNair; Donna M. Riley

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Conference: 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Publication Date: June 23, 2018
Start Date: June 23, 2018
End Date: July 27, 2018
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topics: Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--30148
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/30148
Download Count: 563

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Paper Authors

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Adam Stark Masters Virginia Tech

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Adam S. Masters is a doctoral student and Graduate Research Assistant at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. They received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Delaware and are currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. Adam's research interests include access, equity and social justice in engineering with particular attention to the experiences of women & LGBTQ+ engineering students.

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Lisa D. McNair Virginia Tech

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Lisa D. McNair is a Professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, where she also serves as Director of the Center for Research in SEAD Education at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT). Her research interests include interdisciplinary collaboration, design education, communication studies, identity theory and reflective practice. Projects supported by the National Science Foundation include exploring disciplines as cultures, liberatory maker spaces, and a RED grant to increase pathways in ECE for the professional formation of engineers.

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Donna M. Riley Purdue University, West Lafayette (College of Engineering)

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Donna Riley is Kamyar Haghighi Head of the School of Engineering Education and Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University.

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Abstract

Project funded by Division of Engineering Education and Center (EEC) ------ Some have hailed the emergence of maker spaces as an opportunity to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, engaging participants in open, creative, and supportive spaces for learning and applying practical STEM knowledge. Others have questioned the potential of these spaces, as many maker and hacker spaces seem to be enacting norms that are more conducive to participation of white, male, middle-class, able-bodied hobbyists. So while there are maker spaces noted for their engagement of homeless makers, women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ folks and people with disabilities, there are many more maker spaces that intentionally or unintentionally exclude these populations. This project considers how diverse maker spaces are conceived, constructed and operated to actively involve groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM, and collectively identify practices that can inform the design and operation of campus and community maker or hacker spaces that presently struggle to achieve diversity.

In 2018, we report an update on the project’s data collection and the June 2018 unconference where we will bring all our partners together.

This Participatory Action Research (PAR) employs ethnographic methods and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to characterize spaces in terms of their physical and linguistic artifacts. Here we report an update on our preliminary results shared last year, including information related to our direct observation and participation in events held at diverse makerspaces across the U.S.

Research questions explored through this project include: (1) What practices and artifacts do participants in diverse maker and hacker spaces employ to establish and maintain environments that are diverse and inclusive? (2) What does the discourse in diverse maker and hacker spaces reveal about how meaning and value are co-constructed around identity, creativity, and the culture of production / the production of culture in engineering? (3) What best practices emerge from diverse maker and hacker spaces, and how can these translate to design or transformation of existing maker spaces on campuses and in communities?

Citation
Format

Masters, A. S., & McNair, L. D., & Riley, D. M. (2018, June), Board 97: MAKER: Identifying Practices of Inclusion in Maker and Hacker Spaces with Diverse Participation Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--30148

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Project funded by Division of Engineering Education and Center (EEC)
------
Some have hailed the emergence of maker spaces as an opportunity to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, engaging participants in open, creative, and supportive spaces for learning and applying practical STEM knowledge. Others have questioned the potential of these spaces, as many maker and hacker spaces seem to be enacting norms that are more conducive to participation of white, male, middle-class, able-bodied hobbyists. So while there are maker spaces noted for their engagement of homeless makers, women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ folks and people with disabilities, there are many more maker spaces that intentionally or unintentionally exclude these populations. This project considers how diverse maker spaces are conceived, constructed and operated to actively involve groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM, and collectively identify practices that can inform the design and operation of campus and community maker or hacker spaces that presently struggle to achieve diversity. 

In 2018, we report an update on the project’s data collection and the June 2018 unconference where we will bring all our partners together.

This Participatory Action Research (PAR) employs ethnographic methods and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to characterize spaces in terms of their physical and linguistic artifacts. Here we report an update on our preliminary results shared last year, including information related to our direct observation and participation in events held at diverse makerspaces across the U.S.

Research questions explored through this project include: 
(1)	What practices and artifacts do participants in diverse maker and hacker spaces employ to establish and maintain environments that are diverse and inclusive? 
(2)	What does the discourse in diverse maker and hacker spaces reveal about how meaning and value are co-constructed around identity, creativity, and the culture of production / the production of culture in engineering? 
(3)	What best practices emerge from diverse maker and hacker spaces, and how can these translate to design or transformation of existing maker spaces on campuses and in communities? 
AU  - Adam Stark Masters
AU  - Lisa D. McNair
AU  - Donna M. Riley
CY  - Salt Lake City, Utah
DA  - 2018/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Board 97: MAKER: Identifying Practices of Inclusion in Maker and Hacker Spaces with Diverse Participation
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/30148
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--30148
ER  -