WHAT ARE LO ϟ FI, MID ϟ FI, & HI ϟ FI DIY?

The terms we use: LO ϟ FI, MID ϟ FI, and HI ϟ FI DIY stand for Low-Fidelity, Mid-Fidelity, and High-Fidelity Do-It-Yourself activities. Simply put, these labels help us to categorize and communicate the different levels of technological complexity of an activity. In prototyping, the term fidelity “refers to how it [the prototype] conveys the look-and-feel of the final product (basically, its level of detail and realism)” (Babich, 2017). Similarly, Kafai and Jayathirtha (2020) explain that “the emergence of the Maker Movement has made construction activities popular again, connecting crafting, traditionally low-tech materials, with high-tech domains such as computing and engineering” (p. 302).

From a maker-centred approach, we address curriculum from a place of learning through exploration, construction, and iterative design, and embrace the opportunity to create multiple points of access as it allows educators to design their lessons based on learner ability, available technology, and socioeconomic constraints. In this learning resource, LO ϟ FI DIY engages with making from a low-or-no-cost and low-or-no-tech perspective, MID ϟ FI DIY integrates low-to-mid-cost and easily accessible technology, and HI ϟ FI DIY connects learners with more advanced technologies and equipment that may have higher cost associations.

Additionally, the phrase DIY or Do-It-Yourself is not new. We might associate it with home improvement manuals of the 1950s and 60s, a defining characteristic of the late 70s punk (Moran, 2010) or 90s grunge scenes, or more recent trends in crafting, art, independent or alternative media and music production, and the maker movement itself. The term refers to independently completing a repair, or making something from scratch, rather than paying an expert for the product or service.

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