Makers are contemporary do-it-yourself enthusiasts who rely on various technology platforms to create low-cost prototypes and products. They can be anything from garage tinkerers to expert engineers, the common denominator being a willingness to experiment and learn by doing. Another thing that characterizes makers is a sense of community; ideas are shared and design reuse is encouraged. For an inside perspective, watch the trailer for the “Maker” documentary below. There’s also a chance to fund the production of a feature-length version of the documentary in a very maker kind of way.

The maker movement has been touted as a great driver for innovation, but as a source of innovation, its reach is limited. Makers are tied to existing technologies, lack the funds to carry out far-reaching projects and, even in teams, rarely possess the kind of cross-disciplinary expertise that modern innovation requires. However, if their approach to problem-solving and learning is adopted, especially in education, they may indirectly change the way we will deal with the many challenges of the future. Libby Falck (2014) succeeds in crystallizing the value of the maker attitude in education:

“Direct, meaningful application of technology is often the missing piece of STEM education. It’s also the piece that inspires true innovation.”

In addition to potentially transforming our relationship with science and technology, the maker movement has an important role as a counterbalance to the growing disconnection with the material world in developed countries. The move away from the physical can of course be seen in the digitization of once tangible artifacts, but it’s also visible, among other things, in how many designers view their work. On the verge of the internet explosion, Peter-Paul Verbeek and Petran Kockelkoren (1998) predicted that designers are becoming Platonists who “consider objects to be only derivative ‘copies’ of primordial ideas”. Verbeek and Kockelkoren were concerned that modern designers aren’t fully aware of the consequences of their work because of their detachment from its material nature. It’s hard to argue that being more in touch with the physical world wouldn’t give designers of today a richer perspective on their work and contribute to the well-being of all.

Whether it is paving the way for a collaborative practice-based way of learning or drawing more attention to physical exploration, the maker movement can definitely act as catalyst for innovation. The irony is that the individual efforts of makers are less likely to bring about significant innovation than the culture created by them collectively.

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References

Falck, Libby. 2014. “Beyond the Maker Movement: How the ChangeMakers Are the Future of Education” Singularity University, July 27. http://www.forbes.com/sites/singularity/2014/07/29/beyond-the-maker-movement-how-the-changemakers-are-the-future-of-education/

Verbeek, Peter-Paul & Kockelkoren, Petran, 1998. The things that matter. Design issues, 14(3), 28–42.