Equity, literacies, and learning in technology-rich makerspaces

This chapter uses an equity lens to examine learning in makerspaces with a focus on the role that literacies and technologies play in these spaces. The authors examine ways that makerspaces bridge formal and informal learning and serve as important contexts for community building and mentorship. This stance on makerspaces centers equity and inclusion as driving forces that must become central to the design of these innovative learning spaces. The piece includes a review of the literature aimed at building a deeper understanding of the principles that underlie literacy practices, collaboration, and learning engagement. The authors offer principles and recommendations for designing, organizing, expanding, and sustaining learning-through-making opportunities for all learners.