Users’ experiences in a regional university library makerspace����Research project approved by UniSQ Ethics Office (Ethics approval No. H21REA258).����Emilia C. Bell��UniSQ Library �Coordinator, Evidence Based Practice���

LARK Symposium

28 September 2022

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Emilia Bell

@EmiliaCaraBell

(Twitter)

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Steph Piper

@sjpiper145

(Twitter)

Context & Purpose

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• University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) Library

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• A multi-campus regional university

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• Makerspace on Toowoomba campus, with workshops and resources hosted online.

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• Need for more research on university Makerspaces (Wong & Partridge, 2016; Baker, 2021).

Context & Purpose

Three types of Makerspace use:

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• Course curriculum
• Extra-curricular
• Research

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• How are UniSQ Makerspace users engaging with the space and its activities?

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• What can users own experience of participation tell us about the Makerspace's value for research, course curriculum, and extra-curricular benefit?

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Case study design

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• Purposive & convenience sample

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• Semi-structured interviews

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• Invited participants to share visual media during the interview.

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• Reflexive thematic analysis

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• Qualitative case study

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• Interpretive paradigm

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• Incorporating visual element

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• Engaging with the hands-on and visual nature of the Makerspace

Case study design

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• Purposive & convenience sample

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• Semi-structured interviews

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• Invited participants to share visual media during the interview.

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• Reflexive thematic analysis

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• Qualitative case study

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• Interpretive paradigm

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• Incorporating visual element

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• Engaging with the hands-on and visual nature of the Makerspace

Visual research method

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• Variation of a ‘photovoice’ technique.

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• Similarities to ‘object elicitation’ (Whyte & Misquith, 2020).

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• Any visual media or objects related to Makerspace use

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Participants could:

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• Choose to share visual media and when to introduce visual media

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• Guide the conversation around their projects

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Visual research method

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Advantages

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• A flexible and participant-driven approach

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• A visual memory prompt for participants

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• Elicited more detailed descriptions

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• Provided context around creative processes and engagement

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Interview engagement

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“So…[the Coordinator, Community Engagement] had to teach me how to use the program. And then I design this whole thing and it's got the little - can you see that? - the different angles of the injections” (CC2).

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“I have a book with sketches if that can help you?” (CC1).

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“I've been using the 3d printers to work on some small projects … I do have one thing … I can show if you'd like?” (EC1).

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Interview engagement

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[Extra-curricular student participant]

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“my accommodation doesn't have much in space, other than some hanging space. So I made a piece that can go onto a hanging line that interlocks … it's designed so it can easily hold any pots and pans or such.”

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“I tend to use the space as a way of taking a new perspective on things … that's actually why I came up with the design … I didn't want to damage anything in the place I'm renting … And if I ever need to move anything, it's just gone” (EC1).

Interview questions & analysis

Interview questions explored

• Initial engagement
• Use and focus
• Application of outcomes and learning
• Future use and feedback

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Thematic Analysis

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• Interview questions were not treated as themes.

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• Analysing patterns across the entirety of transcripts.

Findings

Five themes

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• A tentative start

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• Practical need

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• Skills development

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• Community connection

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• Influencing outlook

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Theme�� A tentative start

• Students and staff experienced initial hesitancy or apprehension in using the Makerspace.

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• This was coupled with curiosity and a feeling of wanting to be involved and experience what was on offer.

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• Barrier to participation included understanding the purpose of the Makerspace.

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A tentative start

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“And not being able to in there without … thinking that I'm intruding” (CC1).

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“…to be honest, I thought it was ... like part of the Creative Arts ….

And I didn't really have anything to do with it for a long time” (R1).

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“I wanted to go back because I was excited for it.

But you know, seeing the 3d printers and all the stuff she has there.

It's a little bit like ... I'm not gonna know how to do this” (CC2).

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• Practical motivations initially drove student and staff engagement.

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• Initial motivations included the Makerspace being more reliable and efficient than other sites.

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• Needing to complete practical coursework requirements.

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Theme�� Practical need

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Practical need

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“For work, a lot of it is just about improving productivity. ...

Like they're not exciting things,

but they make our work projects just go a little bit better” (R1).

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“… to be honest, I was just like, I just need to get this placement out of the way so I can graduate” (CC2).

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“I'm very study driven … so it was driven by placement and studies.

So … not really driven by creativity, unfortunately” (CC1).

• Participation for the purpose of acquiring new skills.

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• The starting point for participant’s journey into 3D printing and design skills.

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• Led to independent continuous learning.

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Theme�� Skills Development

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Skills development

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“Coming in completely cold and not knowing where to start”

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“and we just started off really simple, and then, probably about six months later, I bought my own 3d printer” (R1).

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“So then after 5, 10, minutes, just felt really comfortable in there and was like, yeah, I could do this. This is awesome”

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And now I have my own 3d printer sitting next to me. ...I've had it for about six months now” (CC2).

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• Engagement with the Makerspace as a community hub.

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• Found opportunities to help others, using skills for volunteer work or to find creative solutions in home and work environments.

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• Value in having other people to share ideas and problem solve with, despite different understandings collaboration.

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Theme�� Community Connection

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Community connection

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“It's everyone that goes in there, is willing to help everyone and listen to what you're doing and give you their ideas” (CC2).

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“talking to someone that's an engineering student that I really wouldn't cross paths with otherwise at the university.

That's really nice” (CC2).

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“I like seeing how different projects and things come about … there's always something new to see, ... it seems to be a good hub of creativity. And I like seeing how things progress over time” (EC1).

• Describes the value that new opportunities, directions, and perspectives.

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• The value of non-technical skills, innovation, and creative processes in workplaces, home, and future endeavours.

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• New ways of thinking about how science, technology, and creativity are connected and inform future opportunities.

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Theme�� Influencing outlook

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Influencing outlook

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“I didn't expect this to now be such a big part of my life, where you know, nearly every day I'm thinking about what I can print what I can design, what, how I can make something better for, for my son, for my husband, for my parents for gardening, and like I can make a tool for that. Yeah, it's made a huge difference, and I didn't think it would. ” (CC2).

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“So it's given me a lot of hope in my life decisions

in a way to help me see that what I've done in my placement is something that I could do in the future” (CC1).

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A Tentative Start

Practical Need

Skills Development

Community Connection

Influencing Outlook

“It's made a huge difference, and I didn't think it would.”

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“What I've learned? Basically a whole new skill.”

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“You can make things that really help people.”

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“it's really intense.”

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“we can just do things quicker and make our time more productive.”

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References

Baker, A. H. (2021). Exploring student perspectives on informal and formal learning in university makerspaces [Doctoral thesis, Clemson University]. TigerPrints. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/2852

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Wong, A., & Partridge, H. (2016). Making as learning: Makerspaces in universities. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 47(3), 143-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2016.1228163

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Whyte, J., & Misquith, C. (2020). Making as storytelling: Using draw-and-write and object elicitation in the design and study of a Library makerspace. In S. Bedi & J. Webb (Eds.), Visual Research Methods: An Introduction for Library and Information Studies (pp. 107-126). Facet. https://doi.org/10.29085/9781783304585.006

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University of Southern Queensland - Select 'Insert > Header & Footer'

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