Maker music: constructing musical knowledge in educational makerspaces
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop evidence for how students could construct musical knowledge in educational makerspaces and to inform alternative pathways to musical knowledge. Makerspaces are places where tools and technologies are available for people of varying ages and skill levels to engage in constructing and sharing of physical or digital artifacts (Sheridan et al., 2014). Educational makerspaces are specifically designed for learning to take place through making (Harron & Hughes, 2018). Makers learn through the making and sharing of personally meaningful artifacts (Sheridan et al., 2014) by constructing knowledge through the processes and products of making (Papert, 1980/2020). Makers learn concepts and skills across multiple disciplines, primarily in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM; Brahms & Crowley, 2016b; Clapp & Jimenez, 2016). Empirical research demonstrates that makers also learn concepts and skills within arts disciplines, but more evidence is needed of makers engaging with arts disciplines or constructing arts knowledge through making. In this dissertation, I conducted a holistic multiple case study (Yin, 2018) of two participants' work in two educational makerspaces. I used bi-directional artifact analysis methods to construct timelines and narratives for how participants conceived of, constructed, and shared musical artifacts (Halverson & Magnifico, 2013). Participants used the tools, technology, expertise, and environment of the educational makerspaces to engage with music by playing physical and digital instruments, interacting with a community of musicians for collaboration and feedback, and sharing musical works through performance and distribution. By engaging with music, participants also engaged with interdisciplinary STEAM concepts with parallel concepts in music. Ultimately, participants constructed knowledge of music concepts by using maker resources to create musical artifacts. Maker music—when people construct musical knowledge by engaging in maker activities within the domain of music—is a meaningful and compelling way to learn music. The participants in this study demonstrated maker music by creating and releasing original music and developing skills as music producers. The makerspaces in this study provided opportunities for participants to follow representational trajectories—learning the skills and tools for realizing ideas (Halverson, 2021)—as music producers and creators. The participants' musical artifacts demonstrate how maker experiences can provide deep musical experiences that engage multiple disciplines.
Description
2025
License
Attribution 4.0 International