Makerspaces in University Colleges: a workshop about maker technologies and design thinking in higher education

Abstract

VIA University College in Denmark is currently placing greater priority on Makerspaces, with special focus on material design in all its education programs (e.g. teacher trainings, social service workers, social education etc.) The special feature of the Makerspaces initiative is the dual perspective on learning. Educating teacher students entails having the dual perspective of learning to master technologies and design processes, while also mastering the ability to create learning designs for childrens' innovative design processes in maker settings. In this workshop, we (1) lay out our teaching approach, (2) provide examples of course activities, (3) provide a hands-on example of our teaching methods, and (4) invite participants to discuss a dual perspective on learning in maker settings in teacher education. This workshop will provide a case example of how the teachers at VIA University College incorporate digital fabrication and design processes in the courses for student teachers and students in Social Education.