Sorry, I Was in Teacher Mode Today: Pivotal Tensions and Contradictory Discourses in Real-World Implementations of School Makerspaces

Abstract

This paper examines tensions present in school-based makerspaces. We argue that, as maker education grows, particular attention needs to be paid to social interactions and discourses, in addition to space design, equipment, and curricula. We report the results of observations and interviews conducted in a recently adopted maker program in California, USA. Our analysis focused on behavioral and organizational aspects of the program, composed by credentialed and non-credentialed educators. Considering that discourses can shape practices, we also examined the vocabulary employed by the educators involved in maker programs, revealing tacit and manifest conflicts in the studied schools. We summarized our findings by describing the major tensions that may arise when maker education programs are adopted within a typical K-12 school environment. We conclude with recommendations for designing and implementing school-based maker programs, focusing on tensions that should be identified and leveraged as generative themes to foster culturally situated debates among practitioners.