A case study of the maker activity program among undergraduate students in Mexico. Full-text https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317174794_A_Case_Study_of_the_Maker_Activity_Program_among_Undergraduate_Students_in_Mexico

1. A Case Study of the
Maker Activity Program
Among Undergraduate Students in Mexico
Oswaldo Castro-Romero
Kyung Hee University / Graduate School of Education

2. Content
▸ Introduction
▸ Theoretical background
▸ Research methodology
▸ Results
▸ Conclusions
2

3. Introduction
A growing number of people around the world engage together
for producing personal objects, into physical and digital forms
3
(Martinez & Stager, 2013)
(Halverson & Sharidan, 2014)
Democratization of access to:
• Tools
• Technologies
• Materials
• Resources
1990
DIY
2002
FIRST
FABLAB
2005
MAKE
MAGAZINE
2006
MAKER
FAIRE
2009
FIRST
HACKER
SPACE
2014
MAKER
FAIRE
WHITE
HOUSE

4. Introduction
4
There is a growing interest in majors as
For many years, there is a tradition of studies
in social sciences and humanities
(IMCO, 2016)
IN LATINAMERICA
HOWEVER,
• Engineering
• Information technologies
• Computer sciences
Jordi Muñoz (Cofounder of 3d Robotics)
Art Crafts workshops Social movements

5. Introduction
5
have appeared in the local communities.
Many makerspaces
makerspaces are created by engineers
and computer scientists, but now also by:
Frequently,
• Industrial designers
• Architects
• Educators

6. Introduction
6
THE PROBLEM
There is the difficulty of access to digital platforms and Internet and the implementation of
innovative educational methods enhancing maker activities.
(Herrera, 2016; Rodriquez-Barrios and Pellizzoni, 2016)
THE QUESTIONS
How to create sustainable collaborative spaces that support maker activities?Q1Q1
Q2Q2 What is the potential of implementing makerspaces in education?

7. Theoretical background
7
WHAT IS THE MAKER MOVEMENT?
▸(Martinez & Stager, 2013)
▸(Peppler & Bender, 2013)
Makers play, experiment, fail and success by
constructing sharable knowledge
Maker movement is an innovative way to
reimagine education
&
Hacker CultureDIY Culture

8. Theoretical background
8
“Students learn better by making tangible objects in the real world.”
(Papert, 1980)
The maker movement has a strong foundation of
Papert’s constructionism theory. (Donaldson, 2014)

9. Theoretical background
9
MakeractivitiesMakeractivities
consist in giving to students the opportunity for:
▸ developing interest
▸ new identities, and
▸ content knowledge (Martin, 2015)
Learners learn better working with:
▸ meaningful products
▸ affordable materials
▸ appropriated learning environments
(Falbel, 1993)

10. Theoretical background
10
Makerspaces
are informal and open places wherein makers
can explore their ideas, combining STEAM
disciplines and developing technical skills to
create new products.
(Sheridan, et al. 2014)

11. Program implementation:
22 undergraduate students
First and fourth year
Korean Studies major
Research Methodology
72%
28%
Years in average
20
No experience
in making
60%electricity class
or repairing own stuffs
13%
Yes

12. Research Methodology
Duration
of the program
One-day(6 hours) • Photos
• Videotaping
• Reflective journals
Data collection

13. Tinkering Making Sharing Improving
CONCEPTUALIZATION
ENCOURAGE INTEREST
AND MOTIVATION
EMBODYING IDEAS
BUILDING PERSONAL
PRODUCTS
SHARING OF PRODUCTS
AND PROCESS
IMPROVEMENT AND
REFLECTION
Research Methodology
TMSI model ▸(Hwang, Kang and Kim, 2016)

14. Results
14
Deconstruction of
electronic
appliances and
building products in
teams

15. Results
15
“it was interesting to see how others think,
even I have never interacted at all with them at school”
Melanie,19 years

16. Results
16
They built products getting ideas
when talked and collaborated with
others
Students exchanged materials and
moved around the classroom

17. Results
17
Miztli, 24 years
“I discovered that an electronic water heater contains
sand to conduct the heat throughout the tube”

18. Results
18
“From a computer
we don’t use, we can
get different ideas to
create something
new”
Itzel, 24 years

19. Results
19
“we can make
anything… ideas
come when we play
with things”
Daniela, 21 years

20. 20 Results
Desk lamp
Key holder
Glasses
Zen Garden
Car
Toy

21. Conclusions
21
01Maker activity is a friendly way to access and learn how to use technology tools
and diverse materials while people enjoying reciprocal support.
02In hands-on activities, students can embody their abstract ideas into concrete
products.
03It is suggested to diversify maker activities to other fields in education enhancing
exploration, inquiring and problem-solving for better learning experiences.

22. THANK YOU!oswaldo.castro@khu.ac.kr