Learning to Make in Museums: The Role of Maker Educators

In this chapter, we explore making as a learning process in the context of a museum-based maker space designed for family participation. In particular, we focus on young children, and their adult learning partners, as an important demographic to consider and for which to design making environments and experiences. Importantly, we take a close look at the evolving role of museum educators in supporting young children's meaningful participation in making as an informal learning process. Through the presentation of a single case of a child's making in the museum, we identify key factors that support and engender young children's participation in making in the context of a museum, and examine the ways by which a young child may establish a meaningful trajectory of participation through making in this context.