Multiple voices in the Maker movement - a Nexus analytic literature Review on children, Education and Making

Inviting children to take part in maker movement has been advocated, especially in the context of education. Despite the numerous publications related to making, a more theoretical treatment and common vocabulary of the topic are still lacking. This paper utilizes as its theoretical lens the research framework of nexus analysis, suited for an in-depth study of complex social phenomena, to make sense of existing research on children and making. The study illustrates the value of the nexus-analytic concepts of ‘discourses in place’, ‘interaction order’ and ‘historical body’, the three aspects of social action, in scrutinizing the extant research as well as indicates how to utilize these concepts in educational making projects with children: when establishing relationships with children, involving children as makers, and analyzing the results. Implications for IS research, practice and education are discussed.