Theoretical Foundation of the Maker Movement for Education:

The author investigated the momentum of the maker movement and its educational implications with the following four research questions: 1. What is the maker movement? 2. What is the nature of our societal interest in the maker movement? 3. Which learning theories are associated with the maker movement? 4. What are the educational implications of the maker movement? The author reviewed the history of education in terms of the maker movement and concluded that Papert’s learning-by-making approach provided a theoretical foundation of the maker movement. The maker movement aims to engage participants in Do-It-Yourself(DIY) activities, the spirit of tinkering, and a hands-on approach. Also, the maker movement meets the educational demands of fostering students’ 21st-century abilities and technological literacy. Lastly, the author anticipated the issues that may arise following the introduction of the maker movement in K-12 schools. In conclusion, the author discussed the challenges of the school maker education movement and suggested the bottom-up approach to utilize the school resources of technology and engineering education.