Making sense of making: critical issues in the integration of maker education into schools

ABSTRACT

This article considers growing calls for the integration of so-called ‘maker technologies’ and associated ‘maker’ practices into schools and other formal education settings. Moving on from the largely celebratory literature in this area, the article seeks to further explore the tensions between the educational potential of maker technology and the realities of its use in school and classroom contexts. In particular, the article focuses on fundamental – but so far little acknowledged – tensions surrounding the social, cultural, political contexts of maker education, alongside the epistemological and pedagogical characteristics of maker technologies as tools for learning. It is concluded that maker education must not be seen as a ready fit with formal schooling. Instead, teachers and schools are likely to require sustained support to make the most of maker technologies within the demands and constraints of contemporary school contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• Schools
• digital
• maker education
• maker technologies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest has been reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna-Lena Godhe

Anna-Lena Godhe is senior lecturer with joint appointments at the Department of Culture, Language and Media, Malmö University and at the Department of Education, Communication and Learning, University of Gothenburg. Her research focuses on transformation processes in classroom practices and how they relate to structural aspects such as curricula and assessment.

Patrik Lilja

Patrik Lilja is senior lecturer with joint appointments at the School of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Halmstad University and the Department of Education, Communication and Learning, University of Gothenburg. His research focuses on inquiry, problem-based learning and digital tools in education.

Neil Selwyn

Neil Selwyn is a distinguished research professor at Monash University, and also a visiting professor at the Department of Education, Communication and Learning, University of Gothenburg. His research focuses on digital technology, education and society.