MAKER: Making Opportunities for Baltimore Inner City Youth in a 3D Print Shop

University Of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

Real-world problem solving through Making is a new and popular way to engage youth in STEM education. Since it is often difficult to infuse Maker curriculum into students' schedules, this frequently occurs in after-school programs. Unfortunately, not all youth are able to participate in after-school activities due to financial pressures and may instead take jobs in non-technical fields such as food service or retail. These non-technical jobs take time away from Making, designing, and tinkering, which can leave them behind their peers who are honing skills for a technical career path. We propose to create a living laboratory "print shop" at the Digital Harbor Foundation (DHF) Tech Center in Baltimore to study the impact of Maker employment with inner city youth. Research will be conducted to understand how their experiences in the print shop maintain their engagement with STEM. The result of the project will be a new model to keep underserved youth on a pathway towards a STEM career. While integrating Making in formal and informal learning is an active research topic, little is known about how to support Making in youth employment. This research will answer questions crucial to deepening youth engagement in Making such as: 1) How do youths' perceptions of STEM careers and STEM education change with a Maker job? 2) How does real-world client work impact youths' interest in Making and their "design thinking"? 3) What impact does a youth-run 3D print shop have in the local community? 4) What are the generalizable recommendations for designing and teaching digital fabrication software to individuals with diverse skills? We will answer these questions by conducting interviews, observations, and workshops, with DHF youth, support staff, and the print shop's customers. All software, training tools, and supporting technology will be evaluated through longitudinal deployments in the print shop. We will track youth's engagement in the print shop and measure how their attitudes towards technical employment, STEM fields, and Making change through the research. We will share our experiences, tools, training materials, and strategies to continue to diversify Making and provide novel employment opportunities with the Maker and academic community.