To better grasp the issue of underrepresentation in makerspaces, it's crucial to closely examine the environment where these problems arise. A spatial enumeration of a makerspace, which is a complete listing of items within a collection or environment, extends such an evaluation. By responding to this overarching research question, "why do…

Despite numerous studies indicating the positive contribution of 3D modeling and printing (3DMP) in learning settings, its current educational use is still rather limited. For the adoption of 3DMP in classrooms, it is critical to understand the views and perceptions of teachers on such new technology. To better understand how teachers perceive…

Makerspace tools and technologies are becoming increasingly popular in K-12 educational settings. While makerspace education has the potential to democratize educational spaces, the integration of these new technologies into the classroom is not trivial. In this paper, we analyze a university-based makerspace apprenticeship program for pre-service…

Making and makerspaces are currently an exciting topic in education. The constructionist nature of learning through making, however, creates an inherent tension for teachers -- one where the need to meet specific standards must be balanced with the open-ended, creative problem-solving that making supports. Unlike the traditional teacher-centered…

Supporting collaborative discourse with discussion forums in a typical Learning Management System (LMS) remains challenging. This article reports on a design case of an "unLMS" approach, which aimed to devise a networked learning environment not based on an LMS for collaborative discourse in an online course. To support such discourse,…

As higher education institutions seek to prepare an increasingly diverse population of students for a rapidly changing future, makerspaces offer a pedagogical approach for engaging all learners in active thinking and hands-on learning while promoting creativity, problem solving, and collaboration skills. In this paper, we discuss ways to integrate…

A cloud-based computing environment, Google Apps for Education (GAFE), has provided the Anaheim City School District (ACSD) a comprehensive and collaborative avenue for creating, sharing, and editing documents, calendars, and social networking communities. With this environment, teachers and district staff at ACSD are able to utilize the deep…