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The Maker Movement has highlighted the challenge of balancing inclusivity and traditional aesthetics in makerspaces. Despite the marketing of makerspaces as democratic and open, attracting diverse user groups remains a persistent issue. This research study focuses on an overlooked aspect of makerspace engagement—the decision students make at the makerspace threshold. By investigating the reasons behind students' choices to enter or turn away from makerspaces, this study aims to shed light on the complexities of makerspace design and its impact on inclusivity. The entrance of a makerspace serves as the site of inquiry, where students must make a quick decision that can have significant implications. This fleeting moment holds valuable, previously uncollected data, particularly from historically excluded communities. To address this issue, the study shifts the focus from individuals to the makerspace environment itself, examining its underlying values, ideologies, and design elements that may inadvertently undermine inclusivity. By critically evaluating these aspects, educators can identify the causes of tension and work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive makerspace environment. This study responds to the research question of why students from historically excluded communities turn away from the makerspace threshold. Through qualitative research informed by Grounded Theory principles, the study generates theories directly from the data, employing an inductive approach. Data collection methods include surveys, think-aloud reporting, and post-observation debriefing to gather comprehensive and nuanced insights into participants' perspectives and experiences. The study aims to uncover actionable approaches to designing makerspace environments that communicate a sense of welcome to first-time users from diverse communities. The paper focuses on one major finding related to first impressions at the makerspace threshold, specifically exploring the impact of small details, such as artifacts and signage, on creating an inclusive environment. By combining various data collection methods, this research program provides a comprehensive exploration of the topic, grounded in empirical evidence and reflective of participants' perspectives. The findings contribute to ongoing conversations on addressing underrepresentation in makerspaces and inform the development of inclusive makerspace design strategies.
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Space invaders: First-time users feel like intruders in the makerspace
Makerspaces have proven to be mainstays within library ecosystems. However, alongside the continued popularization of library makerspaces, there remains a seemingly immovable issue endemic to these environments; makerspaces continue to attract a narrow demographic of patrons. The threshold of the makerspace serves as a critical site for inquiry, specifically, for insight around students' everyday life information seeking (ELIS) behaviors. This study responds to the research question, “Why do students from underrepresented communities turn away at the threshold of a makerspace?” The research design is methodologically informed by participatory action research (PAR) and grounded theory and uses a virtual reality (VR) makerspace to provide a consistent “threshold” experience to capture students' fleeting first impressions. The research findings offer novel insight into the information seeking behaviors of students by capturing and analyzing critical data that haven't been collected before: the real-time thoughts and feelings of students from underrepresented communities entering a makerspace for the first time.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1942930
- PAR ID:
- 10504263
- Publisher / Repository:
- Library & Information Science Research
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Library & Information Science Research
- Volume:
- 45
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0740-8188
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 101264
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2023.101264
