Technarium is a hackerspace in Vilnius, Lithuania that serves as an informal learning community for science and technology. As an ethnographic study of Technarium shows, it exhibits key features of a community of practice, where learning occurs naturally through participation rather than explicitly. Members are passionate about hacking, creating, and sharing knowledge in a spirit of openness regardless of attributes. While learning is not the primary goal, it is often a side effect as novices interact with experts on diverse projects and everyday discussions that span from laser physics to microscopy of unexpected objects. The unique culture and jargon can initially pose barriers, but experienced members help integrate newcomers into the welcoming environment oriented toward improving skills and the world through collaborative hacking.

1. EGLE MARIJA RAMANAUSKAITE
EDUCATION POLICY AND CULTURE:
CONSISTENT AND RADICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
2016-10-21
TECHNARIUM HACKERSPACE:
COMMUNITY-ENABLED INFORMAL
LEARNING IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY

2. INTRODUCTION
• What are hackerspaces/makerspaces?
Source: https://selkirklibrary.wordpress.com/2014/03/07/its-
the-new-library-thing-the-makerspace-movement/

3. Makerspace: space for tech,
creatorship, learning
A new big thing in libraries, universities, schools
“hubs for innovation in 21st century”
“remaking education”
“transforming the educational landscape”
“pedagogical and physical transformations
of teaching and learning”
Source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/5chw4r7z/16350598996

4. Research is very limited:
• Few researchers have wandered into the field
• Most focus on designed makerspaces, not naturally
forming maker/hacker communities
• Looking at learning as goal, but not learning as
side-effect
• Limited theoretical approaches (mostly
constructionism)

5. A space is just a space
without the people.
• Most research is not
exploring the social
dimension of learning
in these spaces
Hackerspaces.

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker
Hackerspace: not just a DIY
space like any other

7. Hacking: not just code
You can hack …
• Things: make them, fix them, upgrade them. Make
something that has never been made before
• Technology: mix, create, invent new tech
• Even society
• Or education…
• Find a way where there is no way (yet)

8. Learning is not explicit, but…
The 7 values of the hacker
ethic (Himanen, 2001):
• Passion
• Freedom
• Social worth
• Openness
• Activity
• Creativity
• Caring

9. TECHNARIUM:
ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY (2015 OCT -)
• Technarium (Vilnius, Lithuania) –
the only hackerspace in the
country
• Everything from metalworks &
ceramics to 3D printing &
biohacking
• Completely non-commercial, self-
evolved space
• Survives only from the community
contributions

10. AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim: explore Technarium as a community of practice,
where learning opportunities arise spontaneously
Objectives:
• Define Technarium as a community of practice
• Explore the local “regime of competence” & members’
attitudes towards science and technology
• Explore the attitudes of Technarium members towards
learning
• Identify and describe cases of informal learning

11. Community of practice model –
situated learning
(Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998)

12. Observation, interviews &
conversations, documentation &
artefact analysis
Physical
space
People
Commu-
nication
Ethos
Artefacts
Participation types
Roles
Links in the community
Documentation
Inventory
History & historical purpose of
the space
Relationships
Decision making
Distribution of responsibilities
Attitude towards science & technology
Sharing (peer-learning)
Inventory
Projects
Events
Jokes
Historical artefacts
Jargon
Terminology
Manner of communication
Assimilation of spec. communication
by new members

13. • The hacker ethos: do, create, care &
share, are prominent
• Desire to understand the phenomena, take
them apart, find out everything about
the technology before using it etc.
Etika, vertybės
• Intrinsic desire to educate the public, to
improve the society
• Learning is never the primary motivation, but is
a welcome “side-effect” of participation
RESULTS
Ethos

14. KomunikacijaCommunication
• Unique jargon – sometimes
incomprehensible to outsider
• Hacker/tech terminology
• Nicknames – natural to members,
but confusing to outsiders:
opit, mic, ffwd, mn…
• Barrier to participation (as
well as learning)
• Old-timers know this and
translate

15. Laser labyrinth
/ harp project
Conversation
about laser
production
technologies
Laser physics
discussion with
member - laser
physicist
Learning happens in
unexpected places:
Laser “peeling”
during members’
evening

16. Spaghetti
forgotten in
kitchen
Mold
microscopy
Everyday bits & jokes become
learning experiences:
Travelling joke
of “kitten”
spaghetti

17. Microscopy of unexpected
things lying around:

18. Learning from peers with
diverse backgrounds &
trades:

19. Openness regardless of
background, gender, age,
social status:
• “Starving hacker” membership (10 euros/month) or
contribution to creation of the space – for those who
cannot afford it otherwise
• No gender-based discrimination, few age-based limits,
lots of support & encouragement to new members
• Welcoming refugees: workshops, allowing to learn new
things, start a new life

20.  The community of practice model is useful for
studying learning in hackerspaces, where it is by
definition socially-defined
 Technarium exhibits many features of a community of
practice, and learning is witnessed in & within these
features and dynamics
 Learning is not a primary motivation, but almost
always a “side-effect” in Technarium
 Due to the versatility of the space, the various
backgrounds of members & attitude towards knowledge &
sharing, Technarium creates favorable conditions to
learn about science & technology
CONCLUSIONS:

21.  The uniqueness of the space culture & modes of
communication could be a barrier to new members, but
this barrier is reduced by the efforts of old-timers
 Low barrier to entry – newest technologies at hand
OVERALL: a welcoming community
orientated towards sharing their
knowledge & improving the world
through hacking.
CONCLUSIONS:

22. THANK YOU!
Special thanks to:
Prof. Lilija Duoblienė
The rest of the VU Department of Educology!
&
The TECHNARIUM community
EMRAMANAUSKAITE@GMAIL.COM
BLOG.TECHNARIUMAS.LT