Hu Ruipu, Pradhan Alisha, Bonsignore Elizabeth, Lazar Amanda
University of Maryland, United States of America.
New Jersey Institute of Technology, United States of America.
Proc ACM Hum Comput Interact. 2024;8:1-29.
Researchers are studying makerspaces as one way to support older adults in learning about and using new technologies and tools. In this paper, through a long-term (34 months), ethnographic approach, we study the ways that older adults arranged sociotechnical resources to sustain the community use of a makerspace. Our analysis identifies three interconnected resources that were developed: an adaptive staffing approach that could withstand constant personnel shifts and shortages; structured activities to draw interest and overcome challenges associated with learning to use the machines; and reference materials to support individuals in independent usage of the space. We describe the issues that arose as time went on with each of these resource types, and how individuals affiliated with the makerspace adapted the resources to address these issues. In the discussion, we extend best practices by reflecting on strategies that worked well in the makerspace, such as drawing interest through introductory classes, as well as different purposes for reference materials to support technology use.
研究人员正在研究创客空间，将其作为支持老年人了解和使用新技术及工具的一种方式。在本文中，我们通过长期（34个月）的人种志方法，研究老年人如何安排社会技术资源以维持社区对创客空间的使用。我们的分析确定了所开发的三种相互关联的资源：一种能够经受住人员不断变动和短缺的适应性人员配置方法；旨在吸引兴趣并克服与学习使用机器相关挑战的结构化活动；以及支持个人独立使用该空间的参考资料。我们描述了随着时间推移，每种资源类型出现的问题，以及与创客空间相关的个人如何调整资源以解决这些问题。在讨论中，我们通过反思在创客空间中效果良好的策略（如通过入门课程吸引兴趣）以及支持技术使用的参考资料的不同用途，扩展了最佳实践。
