Hi Pam, thanks for facilitating the discussion! The process maps really help us understand the actual processes of making—including actions, feelings, helps & challenges, etc. students experience over time. Once we complete data analysis (the project concludes in May 2018), we aim to generate specific implications for instructional practices. We can leverage the behaviors teens identified as helpful, at the same time providing supports for the actions they reported as challenging. For example, many teens reported finding information is both helpful and challenging actions, which has implications on how mentors (such as librarians in library Makerspaces) can/should promote information literacy skills for young makers. 

Kyungwon,

Your description of maker spaces is helping me to understand this new area of learning. Thanks. In your dual focus of museums and libraries are you seeing similar skills emerging for both context, or are the skills context specific? Do you have any insights or hunches yet about the skills and knowledge needed, and the balance between structure and allowing students to figure things out for themselves? 

Sue, I’m so glad to hear our video was helpful! It’s a bit early to say because we’re currently analyzing data, but teens across the contexts all said they’re learning 21st century skills, such as ability to direct their own learning, inquiry skills, and social skills. The ways professionals arrange and promote Maker learning were definitely diverse (e.g., formal - informal, long- and short-term, independent - collaborative projects, etc.), which was interesting. 

Thanks, Kathryn! In this project we investigate students’ learning by making mainly through their self-reports, because one of the goals is to understand the phenomena from the perspective of young Makers themselves. Although we didn’t attempt to “measure” their learning in this particular project, we gave students lots of reflection opportunities, such as journaling, interviews, and the process mapping activities. I think these self-report data can be used for evaluation as needed, if you create some rubrics for student responses. This project began with a broad, overarching question of how they are learning by making, and now I’m particularly interested in finding behaviors that show students’ sense of agency.

Hi Deborah. Yes, both students and mentors reported students obtained 21st century skills as they engaged in making. Some of the skills included: ability to adapt and be flexible; ability to use technologies; ability to direct, monitor, and mange their own learning; ability to find information; ability create new knowledge; and ability to pursue personal interests and growth. 

Kyungwon,

I can see that the list of 21st Century skills will continue to evolve as society continues to innovate. I'm wondering if there are core goals of Maker Spaces other than skills?

Sue, I'm sure every Maker space has its own purpose, but to me sense of agency, equity, and community building are among the core goals/values. It's fascinating kids feel so empowered when they have ownership over their learning (e.g., creating artifacts based on their own interests and their own culture, students and teachers/professionals working as co-designers/partners). Students often create a project for other people, such as something that might solve a community problem. Since Making is so broad and involves a range of domains, it brings people from different organizations/fields and creates a community.  

Thanks, Calypso! Yes, it’s so important different organizations serving youth work together. Thank you for all you do for teens everyday!