Science Lab as Maker Studio: Creating and Critiquing Electronic Textiles in a High School Class

• In Event: 18.072 - Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: 18.072-3 - Exploring Environment for Doing Science

Abstract

The push for a more widespread implementation of maker activities into K-12 classrooms requires adaptation of out-of-school makerspaces and practices. In this paper, we draw on research that has emerged around the studio model that brings critique practices from art and architecture into computing class. As an illustration, we examined a maker studio in which a class of 23 high school students worked in teams and with art students to develop an interactive electronic textile design. Our analyses focus on how the structure of critiques, presentations, and reflections in the maker studio impacted students’ design process. In the discussion, we address what we learned about how these features should be integrated with programming activities.

Authors

• Breanne K. Litts, Utah State University

• Debora Lui, University of Pennsylvania

• Sari Widman, University of Pennsylvania

• Justice Toshiba Walker, University of Pennsylvania

• Yasmin B. Kafai, University of Pennsylvania