Why are Some Makerspaces not so Male-Dominated

Rahman, M Arif; Best, Michael L.

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-35572-1_23

Cited by 3 publications

References 30 publications

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Sustainability of Makerspaces: Developing a Framework for Sustainable Community Innovation Centers

Rahman,

Best

2024

ACM J. Comput. Sustain. Soc.

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Innovation can play a vital role in economic freedom. However, innovation activities at the community level face numerous obstacles. Spaces like makerspaces and fabLabs vitalize innovation, education, and entrepreneurship within communities. Nevertheless, scarce research addresses the transient nature of these spaces; their premature cession adversely affects their members and the surrounding community. In this study, we develop a novel sustainability framework for community innovation centers through the lens of makerspaces that helps reveal when some centers remain open and meet their objectives and how others close and fail to do so. These centers possess economic and social growth potential, aligning with HCI’s mission to unlock human potential. Building on established ICT4D (Information and Communications Technologies for Development) frameworks, we studied makerspaces across the USA. The resulting framework highlights the importance of fostering a community through the interactions between people and resources, supported by an integrated management, process, and finance infrastructure. This work provides an understanding of how to foster sustainable innovation at the community level.

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Sustainability of Makerspaces: Developing a Framework for Sustainable Community Innovation Centers

Rahman,

Best

2024

ACM J. Comput. Sustain. Soc.

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Understanding an emerging maker community in India: Socio-demographic traits, motivations, and satisfaction factors

Sharma,

Kaur

2024

Industry and Higher Education

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Makerspaces are becoming increasingly popular due to their capacity for hands-on learning, innovation, collaboration, and the democratisation of technology. While numerous studies have explored makerspace users, they have largely focused on contexts within the Global North or China, leaving a significant gap in understanding the demographics and experiences of individuals who frequent these spaces in the Global South. The paper addresses this gap by understanding the factors influencing the motivations and satisfaction levels of an emerging community of makerspace users in India. Employing a cross-sectional survey methodology, data from 51 participants were collected via an online questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression. Key findings indicate that access to specialised tools, expert guidance, and opportunities for personal and professional development are significant motivators for makerspace usage. Users expressed high satisfaction with the learning opportunities and resources provided. The study concludes that makerspaces play a crucial role in supporting innovation and professional growth in the Indian context, suggesting that policymakers and educators should consider these insights to enhance the effectiveness and reach of makerspaces, thus promoting broader innovation ecosystems. Future research should aim to include a more diverse participant pool to validate and expand upon these findings.

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Board 282: Finding Meaning in Makerspaces: Exploring How Gender Influences Makerspace Definitions Among First-Year Engineering Students

Budinoff,

Shivers-McNair,

Bushra

et al.

2024 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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Why are Some Makerspaces not so Male-Dominated

Cited by 3 publications

References 30 publications

Sustainability of Makerspaces: Developing a Framework for Sustainable Community Innovation Centers

Sustainability of Makerspaces: Developing a Framework for Sustainable Community Innovation Centers

Understanding an emerging maker community in India: Socio-demographic traits, motivations, and satisfaction factors

Board 282: Finding Meaning in Makerspaces: Exploring How Gender Influences Makerspace Definitions Among First-Year Engineering Students

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