Iterative Design toward Equity: Youth Repertoires of Practice in a High School Maker Space

Abstract

Despite their potential, maker activities do not always support equitable engagement. The authors report on a design research study where they worked to support equitable engagement of youth repertoires of practice in a high school makerspace. Their orientation toward equity is grounded in the construct of repertoires of practice, and they focus on the question of what counts as making, and who has authority to decide. The authors consider two cases across two years and analyze moments of student resistance and agency as opportunities to expand the valued practices in the makerspace to more equitably support engagement. They report on the particular pedagogical strategies that emerged through the work, including exploration and helping, as well as their process of iterative analysis and design work that led to the embrace of these strategies.