Makerspaces (a.k.a. hackerspaces, fablabs) are collaborative sites for experimentation, collaboration, and creativity. As experiential learning sites, makerspaces support the development of multiple literacies while also introducing students to the principles of design thinking. This interactive workshop will introduce the suite of tools selected for the Mobile DH Makerspace being developed at the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science, including littleBits building kits and Arduino microcontrollers . These tools were purposefully selected for their mobility, accessibility, and affordability. Each of these factors makes it easy to implement and build devices in unconventional venues.
In this workshop, participants will build a “hacktivist” device. As concerns over internet privacy and security increase, educators have become more and more concerned with training students to think critically about their digital presence, particularly through internet activism. As Elizabeth Losh notes, “Outright electronic civil disobedience could be described as the most militant form of political resistance in the digital humanities and one that has become more visible in panels and professional associations in recent years.” Although many academics discuss the need for hacktivism, few offer models for doing so. Adopting this approach, participants in this interactive session will work in teams to explore the capabilities of these tools and develop a working prototype while exploring the pedagogical approaches to incorporating these tools and critical technological literacy into the DH classroom.
Together the littleBits and Arduino scaffold to develop users’ confidence in coding, building, project management, and digital literacy. Designed to foster critical engagement and activism in undergraduate and graduate classrooms, across campuses, and in communities, this workshop emphasizes the ways in which individuals can simply and effectively engage in civil disobedience through the use of digital tools.
