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Who is actually a “maker” and who isn't? “Making,” the creative process of doing things yourself using new technologies and different methods and materials, has many advantages and should really appeal to everyone. It also offers scope for new technological experiences – so everyone could be a “maker.” Researchers at the AIT Center for Technology Experience, together with the University of Salzburg, Happylab (Austria's largest maker lab in Vienna-Leopoldstadt), and Mz* Baltazar's Laboratory, investigated how this can be realistically achieved in the FFG project All*Makers*.
“Making” offers many advantages: it provides a hands-on learning experience with visible results, promotes creativity, increases technological and problem-solving skills, and allows things to be repaired or reused in the spirit of sustainability – all factors that are urgently demanded by the economy – with creative critical problem-solving skills being particularly in demand here.
Making is a broad field that ranges from electronics, 3D printing, woodworking, and robotics to the use of mini-computers such as the Raspberry Pi or the micro:bit. In many cases, “maker fairs” have become established in numerous cities, bringing the maker community together. However, the audience at maker fairs is often male-dominated, and technological making and the “do-it-yourself” market are traditionally associated with men. Researchers have found that women often do not see themselves as “makers,” even though many of them enjoy tinkering with technology. Research has been working on why this is the case and how it can be changed.
The research group is taking an innovative approach. Katrin Kober from the University of Salzburg explains: “We are changing our perspective and examining the question of access to technologies based on the things themselves. How do tools shape the interaction between humans and machines and, subsequently, between different users? And how can this be used to reach people who do not yet consider themselves ‘makers’?”
Making is diverse and has a lot of positive potential
Using “maker” profiles, the researchers showed how diverse “making” actually is in practice – from high-tech professionals to repair enthusiasts. It is not the choice of technology that is decisive, but rather the quality of the relationship and the context that play a role: the machines offered, the spatial design, the communication style of tutors, and, last but not least, the behavior of other makers significantly determine whether people embark on a journey of learning and creation with digital technologies.
Some earlier studies have already shown that not only women, but also people with a migrant background or an educationally disadvantaged background are significantly underrepresented in “making” and do not see themselves as “makers.” This should change urgently, according to the research team's clear recommendation. The researchers' message is that making is for everyone and makerspaces can be very positive places where ideas grow, creativity flourishes, the boundaries between tangible and digital work become permeable, and new communities emerge – when openness and mindfulness characterize how people interact with each other.
“Making in maker labs or makerspaces is still dominated by male visitors and stuck in stereotypes. To change this and motivate new target groups to get involved in making, we need to continue working on raising awareness. For example, we have developed a quiz as part of the project that enables playful reflection on one's self-image as a maker,” notes AIT researcher Georg Regal.
In order to reach additional groups and enable making in other locations, the new FFG research project Pop*Up was launched last November. Pop*Up (Places Of Possibility. Unfolding Potentials of Making for Diversity) partners include the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology/Center for Technology Experience (lead), the University of Salzburg/Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Interfaces, Happylab, The Cool Tool (specialist in machines and products for technical education), and Wunderwuzzi Roboter (provider of robot self-assembly courses and distributor of course materials). Studies show that children, especially girls, begin to lose interest in technology and science at an early age, between 8 and 14 years old.
Mobile makerspaces for diversity-sensitive STEM education
“The idea is therefore a location-independent, mobile, and long-term approach: to promote STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in children through a mobile pop-up makerspace,” explains Georg Regal. The mobile makerspace is intended to create a flexible learning space – beyond traditional educational institutions. The mobile makerspace can also be used specifically in structurally weak regions and locations with little STEM infrastructure. “We want to create a sustainable and socially equitable space for STEM education that is flexible in design and reaches young people where they are – in schools and youth centers,” says Regal.
In addition to developing and evaluating mobile makerspaces, the project also plans to develop new teaching formats that will give different groups a new way to get into making. It'll also look at things like gender and social class. The research team is currently working with young people and various stakeholders (teachers, makerspace employees, apprentice training managers, youth center supervisors, etc.) to identify requirements and develop a concept. Following this analysis, the tools, machines, and technologies to be used in the mobile makerspace will be selected. The project team will also develop materials and documentation for diversity-sensitive teaching. The first prototype for the mobile makerspace is scheduled for completion at the end of 2026.
About AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Research and development are the key drivers of innovation for industry, the economy, and society. They secure jobs and prosperity, thereby strengthening Austria as a business location. Applied research also provides solutions to the major challenges of our time. With a current workforce of 1,527 employees, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest research and technology organization and focuses on the key infrastructure issues of the future. The AIT focuses on two interrelated research areas: “Sustainable and resilient infrastructures,” particularly in the fields of energy, transport, and health, and the “Digital transformation of industry and society.” In these areas, the AIT works closely with industry and clients from public institutions.
About AIT Center for Technology Experience
The AIT Center for Technology Experience deals with fundamental questions of interaction between humans and technology. The focus is always on the users. At the Center for Technology Experience, we support companies and the public sector with the latest scientific approaches and methods in designing a unique user experience for their products, technologies, and services. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we investigate possible qualities and forms of interaction as well as appropriate novel methods and tools.
About the Division Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at the University of Salzburg
The HCI division is an interdisciplinary research group within the Artificial Intelligence and Human Interfaces department of the Faculty of Digital and Analytical Sciences at the University of Salzburg. Around 25 researchers are dedicated to questions surrounding the relationship between humans and machines: How do humans and interactive systems influence each other? How can technologies be designed so that they contribute to a desirable future?