Democratizing technology: pleasure, utility and expressiveness in DIY and maker practice
By J.G. Tanenbaum, A.M. Williams, A. Desjardins, and K. Tanenbaum
Glossary Terms
Steampunk – “the use of obsolete and appropriated materials to create improbably fictional technology designs that combine high-tech and Victorian sensibilities” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2606)
Dystopian – an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly.
Dystopia. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopia
Ex nihilo – from or out of nothing
Ex nihilo. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ex nihilo
Quotes
“…key elements of democratized technological practice: playfulness that includes cultural and material engagement, decisions around tool use, the leveraging of industrial infrastructures around material and standards, and the crucial role of knowledge sharing and building new literacies.” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2604)
Maker culture is consortium of people who agree to work together and individually to accomplish new tangible products. Makers are engaging in hands-on learning and using trial and error methods as well as learning from their peers in the space. This community is derived of engineers, programmers, scientists, artists, educators, and many more. Maker share knowledge and learn skills and draw inspiration from being in these maker spaces. I chose the above quote because I feel that is states purpose and the means by which these spaces are working.
“…the rise of Maker culture is creating new values around technological practices…the Maker Faire community with its emphasis on education and empowerment through DIY. We see this happening in the rise of community hackerspaces…” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2605)
It is interesting that this new form of technological development seem to be building a more community feel to an industry and cultural phenomenon that seemed strip society of much of it community feel. People are going out with friends and spending their whole time on their cell phones texting to each other. The advancement of the digital age, while it made the global community smaller it seemed to make personal engagement rarer. This movement seems to be creating another shift in our culture. Will it be a positive shift? What will the ramifications of this open source sharing of information have on our future? On our children’s future?
“…these practices have the potential to reverse into a loss of regulation of dangerous technology: a scenario that is already the subject of significant debate as individuals begin 3D printing working firearms.” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2609)
This is a frightening possibility, that fire arms could be so readily made and possibly out of product that are able to go through metal detectors. With every possible positive invention there is the potential for a negative consequence? How would this be control or managed? Does this increase the potential for danger in the classroom? Are they programs out there that can monitor student project that will alert a teacher? How do we protect the students, if we do not monitor them?
References
Tanenbaum, J.G.; Williams, A. M.; Desjardins, A; Tanenbaum, K. (2013). Democratizing technology: pleasure, utility and expressiveness in DIY and maker practice. InProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '13). Retrieved November 26, 2013 from http://doi.acm.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1145/2470654.2481360
Steampunk – “the use of obsolete and appropriated materials to create improbably fictional technology designs that combine high-tech and Victorian sensibilities” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2606)
Dystopian – an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly.
Dystopia. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystopia
Ex nihilo – from or out of nothing
Ex nihilo. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ex nihilo
Quotes
“…key elements of democratized technological practice: playfulness that includes cultural and material engagement, decisions around tool use, the leveraging of industrial infrastructures around material and standards, and the crucial role of knowledge sharing and building new literacies.” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2604)
Maker culture is consortium of people who agree to work together and individually to accomplish new tangible products. Makers are engaging in hands-on learning and using trial and error methods as well as learning from their peers in the space. This community is derived of engineers, programmers, scientists, artists, educators, and many more. Maker share knowledge and learn skills and draw inspiration from being in these maker spaces. I chose the above quote because I feel that is states purpose and the means by which these spaces are working.
“…the rise of Maker culture is creating new values around technological practices…the Maker Faire community with its emphasis on education and empowerment through DIY. We see this happening in the rise of community hackerspaces…” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2605)
It is interesting that this new form of technological development seem to be building a more community feel to an industry and cultural phenomenon that seemed strip society of much of it community feel. People are going out with friends and spending their whole time on their cell phones texting to each other. The advancement of the digital age, while it made the global community smaller it seemed to make personal engagement rarer. This movement seems to be creating another shift in our culture. Will it be a positive shift? What will the ramifications of this open source sharing of information have on our future? On our children’s future?
“…these practices have the potential to reverse into a loss of regulation of dangerous technology: a scenario that is already the subject of significant debate as individuals begin 3D printing working firearms.” (Tanenbaum, Williams, Desjardins, Tanenbaum, 2013, pg. 2609)
This is a frightening possibility, that fire arms could be so readily made and possibly out of product that are able to go through metal detectors. With every possible positive invention there is the potential for a negative consequence? How would this be control or managed? Does this increase the potential for danger in the classroom? Are they programs out there that can monitor student project that will alert a teacher? How do we protect the students, if we do not monitor them?
References
Tanenbaum, J.G.; Williams, A. M.; Desjardins, A; Tanenbaum, K. (2013). Democratizing technology: pleasure, utility and expressiveness in DIY and maker practice. InProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '13). Retrieved November 26, 2013 from http://doi.acm.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1145/2470654.2481360