Making space for the maker literacies of reluctant writers

Abstract

This article analyzes playful making in a classroom makerspace that expanded a writing workshop into a maker literacies playshop, transforming reluctant writers into enthusiastic storytellers. Maker literacies create playful multimodal compositions through embodied action and material construction of story elements. M aking as storying materializes in the purposeful play, multimodal decision-making, and material meanings produced through filmmaking, animation, and digital design. To this list, we add placemaking that happens when players see the need to create and furnish physical places for characters to inhabit, and make costumes, props, and sets. Placemaking manages meanings and spatial relationships between characters and materials within the story (e.g., action within filmed sets) and between makers and production equipment outside the story (e.g., camera gaze). Jill’s multiyear study in a US 3rd grade classroom provided multimodal video data from a month-long filmmaking unit for nexus analysis. Close analysis of actions and artifacts during one focal child’s hands-on set construction looked within scenes and behind scenes at meaning-driven choices and multimodal skills in her use of space, materials, and cameras. Placemaking repositioned “reluctant writers” by spotlighting their technology and making expertise, moving them from the classroom margins to full participants and successful storymakers.