Makerspaces in early childhood education: Principles of pedagogy and practice

Abstract

The aim of the study reported in this paper was to identify the value that makerspaces can have in early childhood education (ECE). Drawing on data from research on makerspaces in four early childhood settings in a northern city in England, part of an international project on makerspaces in the early years ("Makerspaces in the Early Years: Enhancing Digital Literacy and Creativity" or MakEY), we identify three key principles that are integral to this provision: maker agency, maker funds of knowledge, and postdigital maker play. The paper identifies that makerspaces lead to the development of skills and knowledge that will become increasingly important in societies that are becoming highly technologized.

The emergence of leadership in students’ group interaction in a school-based makerspace

“…Moreover, supporting group members' work through dialog and action have previously been identified as important for collaboration (Hennessy and Murphy 1999;Howe and Zachariou 2019) and advancing equity and inclusivity of makerspaces (Giusti and Bombieri 2020). Overall, these findings resonate with the educational objectives of makerspaces (Dougherty 2013) in which relative expertise, enacted through supporting others by giving guidance and sharing knowledge, plays a crucial role (Marsh et al 2019;Martin 2015;Wohlwend et al 2017).…”

Making Future-Ready Students with Design and the Internet of Things

“…Given her growing comfort with tools that had not been explicitly taught during the camp's exploration sessions, Amalya also offered assistance to those in her immediate vicinity and was asked to assist other campers when facilitators were occupied. Echoing Marsh and colleagues' [21,22] observations of makerspaces as sites of enhanced agency, this generated J. Hughes, J. A. Robb, and M. Lam…”

“…In makerspaces and classrooms that utilize maker pedagogies, learning occurs "through a range of activities that blend design and technology, including textile crafts, robotics, electronics, digital fabrication, mechanical repair or creation, tinkering with everyday appliances, digital storytelling, arts and crafts --in short, fabricating with new technologies to create almost anything" [18, p. 445]. These environments are student-centred and inquirydriven, facilitating the development of scientific knowledge and process skills [19], critical thinking [17], perseverance [20], individual and collective agency [21,22], and technological fluency [23], to name a few. Furthermore, an emphasis on critical maker literacies that encourage students to reflect on the purpose and impact of their designs, production processes, and sharing of completed projects can foster a sense of maker citizenship, linking students' making practices to realworld issues of rights, belonging, and social participation [21].…”

“…Utilizing students' personal interests as a vehicle for learning is harmonious with the inquiry-driven nature of the makerspace [22]. Expanding upon Papert's [9] conceptualization of contexts with "low floors and high ceilings", Resnick and colleagues [12] recommended the addition of "wide walls" that would accommodate a variety of interests, recognizing the value of personallyrelevant educational experiences.…”

“…Engaging students in critical making activities [17], whether at school or during visits to a local makerspace, can be another effective way to integrate IoT and other technologies into learning. Through a blend of traditional crafting and digital tools [18,22], and an emphasis on low-floor, high-ceiling technologies [9,12], makerspaces can offer a natural bridge into the digital landscape for learners of all ages. Our study benefited from an unusual instructor-to-student ratio (approximately 1:6), however the implications of using the design process within an inquiry-based constructionist learning environment to explore complex technologies or promote interdisciplinary learning contained herein are worth exploring within formal educational contexts.…”