Maker Ed, in conjunction with Indiana University’s Creativity Labs and the National Working Group, along with the generous, unwavering support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, is thrilled to officially release the full Open Portfolio Project Research Brief Series. Since this stage of work began in October 2013, the research, visits, and discussions have uncovered […]
Open Portfolios: National Working Group Meeting Summary
Maker Ed’s ninth and final research brief of the Open Portfolio Project focuses on the November 2014 meeting of National Working Group members, hosted at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation headquarters in Palo Alto, CA. In the National Working Group Meeting Summary, we highlight some of the discussion points and big questions that arose from the […]
Open Portfolios: Survey of Makerspaces, Part III
In our newest, eighth research brief, Survey of Makerspaces, Part III, we examine the data collected from Maker Ed’s Open Portfolio Project‘s maker site survey, specifically oriented around questions of portfolio and documentation practices at the site. All sites reported on the level of importance of portfolios, their existing practices and perspectives, their reflection and feedback norms, […]
Open Portfolios: Survey of Makerspaces, Part II
Maker Ed’s Open Portfolio Project‘s maker site survey was intended to gain a better understanding of the landscape of maker programs and makerspaces, specifically around their portfolio practices and goals. Our sixth research brief, Survey of Makerspaces, Part I, provides an overview of the surveyed educational spaces, including information on whom they serve and their maker programming. Our seventh and newest research […]
Open Portfolios: Survey of Makerspaces, Part I
As part of Maker Ed’s Open Portfolio Project, a maker site survey was developed to better understand how makerspaces — or any type of organization with youth-oriented maker programming, whether or not they identified themselves as “makerspaces” — are thinking about portfolios. In particular, we were seeking to uncover existing documentation and portfolios practices, as well […]
Open Portfolios: Maker Portfolios in Informal Education
In our last research brief, Maker Portfolios in Schools, we drew some parallels between the portfolio practices of many different school settings, from large public high schools in suburbia to small independent schools in the city. In all cases, these academic environments faced similar challenges to instituting portfolios as a norm in their spaces, as […]
Open Portfolios: Maker Portfolios in Schools
The core team of Maker Ed’s Open Portfolio Project had the opportunity in the summer and fall of 2014 to embark on 10 exciting field site visits to youth-oriented makerspaces around the nation. We have shared a number of vignettes about these visits in our blog series, as well as a glimpse into a few sites in […]
Open Portfolios: DIY Documentation Tools for Makers
As Maker Ed’s Open Portfolio Project concludes this phase of work, we are thrilled to share our third research brief: DIY Documentation Tools for Makers. This brief elaborates on some of the unique challenges related to the digital tools and equipment used as part of the portfolio and documentation processes. As with all makers, these […]
Open Portfolios: The Importance of Portfolios for Makers
As our Open Portfolio Project closes out its field research component into October, we are excited to share the 2nd research brief in the series: The Importance of Portfolios for Makers. This second brief highlights three site visits (among many more to be showcased in later briefs) and their current portfolio practices, successes, and challenges. It attempts to address […]
Open Portfolios: A Networked Vision for Sharing and Documenting
Maker Ed is delighted to share widely the first of many research briefs that will be arising from the Open Portfolio Project: A Networked Vision for Sharing and Documenting. This initial research brief draws upon our literature review work and also elaborates on the intention and vision for this work. We’re in the midst of Phase 2 of […]