Kate Noble – Education Officer and Ina Pruegel – Digital Engagement Specialist (both University of Cambridge Museums) The digital maker residency enabled the University Of Cambridge Museums to rethink how they approached the use of technology in their museums and to re-position audiences and staff from passive consumers to active creators. This session will explore how this project provided opportunities to explore and test new ideas and workshops in collaboration with audiences and members of local Makerspaces, and to reflect on the role of technology in the museum of the future.

1. Dr Kate Noble, Education Officer
Ina Pruegel, Digital Engagement Specialist
Exploring the Potential of Digital Making at University of Cambridge Museums
Digital Maker in Residence

2. The Fitzwilliam Museum
The Whipple Museum
of the History of
Science
Kettle’s Yard
Museum of Archaeology &
Anthropology
The Polar Museum
The Sedgwick Museum of
Earth Sciences
Museum of
Classical Archaeology
Museum of Zoology
Cambridge University
Botanic Garden

3. ‘learning about technology through
making with it’
(Young Digital Makers Report, nesta, 2015)
Combining physical art and ‘maker’
activities combined with digital
technologies and cheap and easy to use
computing platforms e.g. Raspberry
Pi, Micro:Bit or Arduino.
Digital Making

4. “Maker Culture” learning-through-doing, informal, peer-led, and shared learning
motivated by fun, curiosity and self-fulfillment.
Maker Culture and Makerspaces
Types of makerspace from Marsh et al (2017)

5. Digital Making at UCM
No space
No money
No equipment
No skills
Starting our own mini museum makerspace movement

6. Why a Digital Maker in Residence?
● How might we incorporate digital making into the UCM public programmes?
● How might we learn from the maker culture for engagement across the UCMs?
● How might we support the development of staff skills and confidence in this area?
● How might we create a sustainable model for digital making activities?

7. Family Workshops

8. Digital School Workshops

9. Staff sessions and pop-ups

10. Maker pop-ups
Museum of
Classical
Archaeology
Whipple Museum
of the History of
Science

11. Outcomes
● Exciting, engaging, fun and inspiring
● Critical thinking, problem solving, collaborative learning
● New digital skills and confidence

12. Unexpected
Outcomes
● Interest from staff
● New perspectives and
ways of working
● Hidden resources
● New collaborations
● Experimentation
● Powerful role model

13. Challenges
● Differences
● Managing expectations
● Allowing time
● Following it up
● Exit strategy

14. What next?
● Public programming
● Further collaborations with
the makespace
● The development of our
Digital Making Schools offer
● Further explorations of the
creative potential of digital
technology across the UCM
● Need to ensure this work is
properly resourced and
managed

15. “Create a transformative,
innovative, creative and digitally
literate workforce
By testing pioneering new
experimental ideas and experiences
using emerging technologies, culture
can provide fuel for the wider
creative economy.”
DCMS Culture is Digital, 2018

16. Be Clever - Find your allies
Be Playful - Expect the unexpected
Be Ambitious - For everyone
Be Generous - Share the resources
Be Brave – Take risks
Be Visible - Shout about it!

17. Thank you!
Kate Noble
@katejnoble
Ina Pruegel
@3today