Makerspace and Maker communities have been around for years, we have always created. We have created new materials, we have created to solve problems, or we have created to beautify the work around us.
Over the last several decades we a have moved away from the constructionist, learn by doing form of instruction towards a classroom based lecture based instruction. (Polka, J, p. 38) It's because of this I feel the maker movement have created such a vibrant, accessible, and social communities.
From my research so far I have discovered a very diverse, eclectic group of individuals who make most of their connections online. Through the internet makers are able to discuss, share, and learn from each other which they showed last week with the arrest of a young Maker named Ahmed. Ahmed was taken from class, questioned by local enforcement, and sent to a juvenile detention center for what was believed to be a bomb. The iReferencest social media and almost instantly started to trend. #IStandWithAhmed was all over Twitter! This young Maker has since received offers from the POTUS to visit the White House,
Facebook creator Mark Zuckerburg
Over the last several decades we a have moved away from the constructionist, learn by doing form of instruction towards a classroom based lecture based instruction. (Polka, J, p. 38) It's because of this I feel the maker movement have created such a vibrant, accessible, and social communities.
From my research so far I have discovered a very diverse, eclectic group of individuals who make most of their connections online. Through the internet makers are able to discuss, share, and learn from each other which they showed last week with the arrest of a young Maker named Ahmed. Ahmed was taken from class, questioned by local enforcement, and sent to a juvenile detention center for what was believed to be a bomb. The iReferencest social media and almost instantly started to trend. #IStandWithAhmed was all over Twitter! This young Maker has since received offers from the POTUS to visit the White House,
Facebook creator Mark Zuckerburg
I believe commenter TracyLF summed up the communities feelings best with her comment on MAKE: Magazine's post.
"Make magazine. ..please give this kid a years subscription and a free vacation to your headquarters and a vacation to maker faire in san Mateo. ... and put it in his local paper... make this kid a rock star in his own town.. because that is what we do."
Thomas stated that "The greatest strength of the Maker Movement, to me, is the emphasis makers put on sharing - be it through open source designs, mentoring other makers, or posting step-by-step instructions for projects." (2014) A big part of this sharing is the strength of their community as a whole which, if last week's support of Ahmed is any indicator, is going strong.
References
Britton, L. (2012, October 1). The Makings of Maker Spaces, Part 1: Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
TracyLF. (2015, September 16). Re: 9th-Grade Maker Arrested Because His Clock Project Looked Like a Fake Bomb[Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://makezine.com/2015/09/16/ignorance-fear-put-9th-grade-maker- handcuffs/
Obama, P. [POTUS]. (2015, Sep 16). Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great. [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://mobile.twitter.com/potus/status/644193755814342656
Zuckerburg, M. [Mark]. 2015, September 16). You've problem seen the story about Ahmed, the 14 year old student in Texas who built a clock and was arrested when he took it to school. Having the skill and [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from: https://m.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102373304096361
"Make magazine. ..please give this kid a years subscription and a free vacation to your headquarters and a vacation to maker faire in san Mateo. ... and put it in his local paper... make this kid a rock star in his own town.. because that is what we do."
Thomas stated that "The greatest strength of the Maker Movement, to me, is the emphasis makers put on sharing - be it through open source designs, mentoring other makers, or posting step-by-step instructions for projects." (2014) A big part of this sharing is the strength of their community as a whole which, if last week's support of Ahmed is any indicator, is going strong.
References
Britton, L. (2012, October 1). The Makings of Maker Spaces, Part 1: Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
TracyLF. (2015, September 16). Re: 9th-Grade Maker Arrested Because His Clock Project Looked Like a Fake Bomb[Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://makezine.com/2015/09/16/ignorance-fear-put-9th-grade-maker- handcuffs/
Obama, P. [POTUS]. (2015, Sep 16). Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great. [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://mobile.twitter.com/potus/status/644193755814342656
Zuckerburg, M. [Mark]. 2015, September 16). You've problem seen the story about Ahmed, the 14 year old student in Texas who built a clock and was arrested when he took it to school. Having the skill and [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from: https://m.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102373304096361