Making & Learning Research Meeting

This report provides a brief summary of a research meeting on making and makerspaces organized by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center. The meeting took place July 21st and 22nd, 2014 at The Children’s Museum. Motivated by a resurgence of interest in DIY (do-­it-­yourself) culture and prompted by the introduction of new technologies, physical computing and fabrication, the Maker Movement offers new opportunities for learning experiences that develop creativity and innovation. Making and makerspaces represent an emerging movement in education that integrates hands-­on learning experiences with physical and digital tools. Classroom teachers, school administrators, and designers of informal learning environments are seeking funding, building facilities, and sharing strategies for integrating making into formal and informal learning contexts.