'Forget about the learning'. On (digital) creativity and expertise in hacker-/makerspaces

• In Event: Hacker Cultures Session 2. People Who Hack

Abstract

Hackers and makers are curious people. They tinker, try, and team up − driven by tech-political motives, entrepreneurial interests, or just for the fun of it. Their curiosity about digital technology and crafts makes them self-driven learners in these domains. To share their enthusiasm as well as required machines, hackers and makers worldwide have formed communities called hack-/hackerspaces and makerspaces. These are physical places where members engage in creative DIY activities involving software and electronics. Learning is key to the social tech and craft practices cultivated in hacker-/makerspaces (HMS). Yet, the educational value of these DIY communities has been rarely acknowledged. Drawing on a mixed-methods study, this paper explores how (digital) creativity and expertise are interrelated in HMS. In qualitative interviews and survey responses, members described their socio-technical interactions as curiosity-driven and hands-on. Creativity itself was conceptualised as a form of ‘experiential expertise’, i.e. a skill that can and should be obtained and nurtured. Yet, many were hesitant to label what they do as learning. While it would be misleading to conclude that no learning is taking place in HMS, the interviewees’ rejected traditional notions of learning as associated with educational institutions such as schools or universities. By relating their perspectives to experiential learning theory, this paper reflects on the reasons and implications of HMS members’ scepticism towards the notion of learning.

Author

• Annika Richterich, University of Sussex