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This research shows the development process of an open makerspace on the premises of a higher secondary vocational school (HTL) in Austria from 2017 till today. It illustrates the need for this space, the acquisition of initial funding and the legal framework. User policy and machinery are presented, as well as safety and security systems. An insig...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... final projects ( Figure 1) were realized at HTL Hollabrunn in the schoolyear 2016/17, whereof 47 declared a need of professional machines provided by the school workshops. These workshops are designated for regular classes and have only little to no capacity for doing these extra final projects. ...
Citations
... The initiative has now grown to 96 participants annually. There were 86 boys and 10 girls in the camp in 2021, so the girls´ share was only 10.4% as illustrated in Figure 2. In 2020, this ratio was slightly higher at about 15% (Sagbauer et al., 2021). The low number of females relates to the findings of Moote et al. in 2020 which "showed that even from age 10, girls were notably less likely than boys to aspire to engineering careers" (Moote et al., 2020, p. 45). ...
This research considers the suitability of holiday camps as possible entry routes into technical education pathways. Therefore, two very successful holiday camps at a technical secondary vocational school (HTL) in Austria were observed. Using a mixed method research approach, a gender-mixed camp for 13-year-olds with a technical theme is compared to an all-girls event for 8-to 12-year-olds focusing on creativity. We show the recruitment success of given events, but also consider potential biasing factors in the evaluation. A discussion of the most successful activity specifically designed for girls during the camp, creating luminous jewelry, is provided, and an analysis of the stakeholders´ perception reveals the importance of adapted wording in promoting technical activities for girls, as well as the need for the actions and artifacts produced to be meaningful in order to spark participants' interest in the tools used and, beyond that, into formal technical education pathways.
This dissertation explores the role of makerspaces in formal education, with a focus on technical education at the upper secondary level in Austria. Given the increasing importance of empowering educational institutions to foster 21st century skills and diversifying technical education in Austria to address the lack of technicians and engineers, this research is of great relevance as makerspaces in education empower both.
The research questions explore the significance of makerspaces for (technical) secondary education and the process of establishing a makerspace in an (Austrian) secondary school.
The conceptual framework is based on a comprehensive literature review that provides an overview of the Austrian education system with a focus on formal technical education and the gender gap on the technical secondary level. In addition, makification, makerspaces, and their importance for enhancing education are discussed. An extensive case study combined with quantitative data explores the development of an open makerspace at HTL Hollabrunn, a technical secondary school in Lower Austria. The findings provide insights into the successful utilization of a makerspace to enhance technical education, and support youth development, and diversification. Finally, the conclusions emphasize the significance of makerspaces for secondary education and provide a guide for the implementation of a makerspace in school.
