According to National Survey on the Impact of Maker Education on Education, culture maker It contributes to increased student performance and participation in academic activities. The study also highlighted that teaching maker It also contributes to an improvement in socio-emotional skills.

But what exactly is culture? maker And how does it work? In this article, we answer these questions and present some benefits of this movement for students, regardless of their level of academic training. Learn how and why you can and should take advantage of maker culture below.

What is culture? maker?

To understand what culture is maker, It is necessary to go back to the origin of the word.“Maker”"Culture" is an English word meaning author, creator, or maker. Therefore, we can say that culture... maker It is nothing more than a set of actions that involves the creation of objects with one's own hands. In this case, the movement maker It is made up of people who embrace the "do it yourself" philosophy.

“"The main concept behind culture" maker "It involves the idea that people are able to modify, repair, or build objects using their own creative potential, amplified by a collaborative environment, thinking sustainably and with the possibility of replicating such an achievement," explains Victor Reiss, Robotics Coordinator at Colégio Etapa.

How does culture work? maker?

“The main idea of culture maker "It's about enabling people to build their own bicycle, for example, with the help of various tools and machines, such as paint booths, laser cutters, milling machines, 3D printers, and lathes," highlights Marcelo Dias, general coordinator of Undergraduate Studies at ESEG – Faculdade do Grupo Etapa.

“Of course, the creative process can manifest itself regardless of location. But, since the idea is to “get hands-on,” innovation labs offer real possibilities for realizing this intention, as they have a variety of materials and equipment available,” adds Reiss.

What are the advantages of maker culture?

In addition to the benefits highlighted by the National Survey on the Impact of Maker Education, the culture maker It is also responsible for encouraging collaborative processes, sustainability, and the replication of solutions.

“"These parameters are part of the essence of the culture." maker. This is because this movement encourages all acquired knowledge to be made public, in order to enable the continuous development of an idea. Furthermore, the culture maker "It encourages the search for solutions to the problems surrounding an object, instead of simply replacing it. This movement also has a bias linked to recycling and reuse, as well as encouraging people to worry about developing solutions that can be easily reproduced in other environments," explains Reiss.

Culture maker It is also responsible for stimulating various skills that are fundamental for academic and professional development. "The routine of..." makers It resembles that of a scientist, who formulates, tests, and shares hypotheses. Thus, students benefit from the stimulation of aspects such as creativity, reasoning, problem-solving, and teamwork,” Reiss reinforces.

“The advantages of being part of the culture maker They are also related to the flexibility of producing objects that meet different needs at a significantly lower cost compared to those mass-produced by industry. There are some very interesting projects developed by makers which become major innovations, optimizing products and services,” says Dias.

“"Furthermore, one of the main benefits of participating in this movement involves the satisfaction of seeing a product made by oneself. And, currently, this culture has a very extensive network of collaboration and idea sharing in virtual environments and clubs." makers, "This allows several people, from different perspectives, to work towards a solution to the same problem, speeding up the process and expanding knowledge," says Dias.

“"In fact, the learning gained from developing a project is one of the most significant gains that students can achieve. This is because the culture..." maker "It contributes to ensuring that the subjects in a school or university course curriculum relate to each other and to the ideas being discussed, in order to provide a learning environment capable of giving new meanings and new dimensions to the concepts studied, based on the practical application of the content," adds Reiss.

“Active participation in discussion forums and groups formed by others makers On social media, for example, it allows the sharing of information related to this movement. In other words, these environments are very rich in terms of learning. In this sense, culture maker "It also contributes to the understanding that technology should not be used for a simple and quick assimilation of content, but rather as a tool for the absorption and renewal of concepts," Reiss reinforces.

How can students take advantage of maker culture?

Both students in school and those already pursuing higher education can create or work on different projects. “This movement stimulates creativity and entrepreneurship. Therefore, it is worthwhile to take advantage of the materials and machinery available in [the program/institutions/etc.].” spaces maker "To develop projects for leisure, for academic purposes, or even professionally," Dias points out.

In the case of students in basic education, the presence of culture maker In schools, it can contribute to academic performance. "Although children and teenagers are always looking to develop working prototypes, they also learn how each machine present in the spaces works." maker "It works. This type of activity combines playfulness with academic development, contributing to increased concentration, focus on studies, and multidisciplinary knowledge," explains Dias.

“"Students who are already in college can take advantage of the culture." maker to create new products and optimize processes, which allows them to develop characteristics that are highly valued in the job market, such as leadership, persuasion, resilience, teamwork, and conflict management. For this reason, the culture maker "It is a great ally for future professionals, regardless of whether they choose to work in established companies or to become entrepreneurs," concludes Dias.

Did you enjoy this information about what culture is? maker, How does it work and what is its importance for the learning of students from different academic cycles? This initiative is part of the pedagogical strategy of ESEG and Colégio Etapa. Students can make use of different equipment and tools in the innovation labs Available at our locations. Learn more on our website. sites!

*Text written in partnership with Colégio Etapa.