This document discusses the vision and development of MAKESHOP, a makerspace for children ages 8-12. It aims to combine DIY and digital media through highly facilitated, design-based experiences. Front-end research involved interviewing parents of older children to understand what activities they value at children's museums. Prototyping included exhibits like ElectricShop, SewShop, and WoodShop to inspire collaboration. Facilitation goals are to meet learners where they are and scaffold through materials, tools, processes and ideas. Related projects include the Digital Dream Lab to teach programming and examine family learning dynamics.

1. Making MAKESHOP
Designing Making
Experiences with
Families

2. Quick Introductions
Jane Werner
Lisa Brahms
Drew Davidson
Dale Dougherty
and ETC graduate students

6. MAKESHOP Partners

7. The
MAKESHOP
Idea:
Opportunity and Response
• Growth of media-rich informal learning
environments for youth
• Children’s Museums: Growing focus on 0-5
years.
• Visitor Study: Children 7+ 30% of audience
• History of Practice: Studio & Curiosity Lab
• Pittsburgh: Kids+Creativity Network; CMU;
University of Pittsburgh; Artist/Maker
Community

8. Vision for MAKESHOP
• Target demographic: children, ages 8-12
• DIY + Digital Media
• Highly facilitated
• Design process: ideation, prototyping, iteration,
reflection
• Entry Point: “What do you want to make
today?”
• Scaffolded experiences for exploration and
innovation with old and new technologies

9. Front End Research
Parent Perspective of New and Traditional
(DIY) Media
Parents of Children 8+
Context: Children’s Museum
• Parent and Family Activity
• Parent Belief
• Learner Positioning
(Ito, et al, 2010; Barron, 2006;
Barron et al, 2009; Choing, 2009)

10. Which areas of the Museum do older
children enjoy most and why?

11. Roles and Value of Experience
/ / r What parents value highly in
.
" h
Museum-based family activity:
w l
Experiences that enable
h r
• Creativity
/
• Parent-Child Co-Learning
/ w • Collaboration
r
/ w
w

12. Prototyping MAKESHOP
Designing with our Visitors

13. ElectricShop

14. SewShop

15. WoodShop

16. MAKESHOP

17. Exhibits are:
Flexible
Simple and Intuitive
Inspire and Support
Collaboration &
Co-activity
Enable Multi-Leveled &
Open Ended Use
Accessible
Sustainable
Facilitation:
Meets learners where
they are
Leverages the family unit
(differentiation of role
and skill)
Scaffolds through
Materials, Tools,
Processes and Ideas
Designing MAKESHOP

22. Family Learning, Processes & Shifting Roles

25. Stuff

26. Processes

27. Meet the Makers

29. Making with Constraints

30. The Hannah-Occupier

31. ETC Projects
2 Semesters to date

32. Digital Dream Lab
• Can we teach children to program?
• Tangible programming blocks
– Hello, world!
– Beginner blocks:
• Show Me, Object, Color, Action

33. Digital Dream Lab

34. Digital Dream Lab
• Can we teach children to program?
• Provide framework that allows for
exploration and story telling
• Learning objectives
– Provide context for a new language
– Create a system based on block relationships
and cause and effect

36. Family Learning
Productive Participation Patterns
Making with the Young Child

37. h
•
• h t

41. www.makeshoppgh.org

42. Questions, Comments
& Discussion
• Consideration of Context
• Integration of Digital Media
• Others…

43. www.makeshoppgh.org