Join the MAKERSPACE mindset!
A makerspace does not need to be a fancy room filled with expensive equipment, a makerspace is any place where you create something out of nothing!
Over the past decade, a Makerspace movement has hit education in the most beautiful way. Educators have been converting computer labs, libraries, hallways, and other corners of their school sites into Makerspaces. Community connections are being made, materials are being collected and repurposed, and students are becoming engaged and empowered through this powerful shift in education.
A Makerspace is a place where students have an opportunity to explore their own interests, learn to use tools and materials (both physical and virtual), and develop creative projects. It provides hands-on, creative ways for students to design, experiment, and invent as they engage in science, engineering, and tinkering.
A Makerspace is more than a designated room with tools, equipment, and materials. Makerspaces might be a corner of a classroom, a mobile cart, a hallway, or anywhere where students are provided opportunities to make and create. More importantly, Makerspaces develop a mindset that moves students from consumption to creation. It is about turning knowledge into action and allows for a true opportunity to support personalized learning.
Makerspaces began outside of education in the Do It Yourself (DIY) era. Community Makerspaces like this one are places where people can pay a membership to use the facility and supplies while collaborating and sharing with other members of the maker community. Makerspaces for education have become quite popular over the past decade.
This Makerspace for Education website provides many resources and research to help you develop a better understanding of the Makerspace mindset.
Over the years, different versions of Makerspaces began to develop including innovation zones, STEAM labs, media centers, fab labs, and collaboratories. The theme helps to focus and build a learning culture within that space. For example, a STEAM lab might focus more on engineering design challenges while an innovation zones might focus more on developing computer science skills. In the end, teachers and administrators have a big role in how the opportunities provided in the makerspace are structured. For example:
There are many different types of activities that help to shift teachers and students into the Makerspace mindset. This website provides three types learning activities that a teacher may want to facilitate in their classroom or in a Makerspace. The three categories are:
Explore- students are provided opportunities to explore new interests
Challenge- students are provided guidance and inspiration using challenge cards or engineering design challenges
Create- students are provided opportunities to work on creative projects
A Makerspace is a place where students have an opportunity to explore their own interests, learn to use tools and materials (both physical and virtual), and develop creative projects. It provides hands-on, creative ways for students to design, experiment, and invent as they engage in science, engineering, and tinkering.
A Makerspace is more than a designated room with tools, equipment, and materials. Makerspaces might be a corner of a classroom, a mobile cart, a hallway, or anywhere where students are provided opportunities to make and create. More importantly, Makerspaces develop a mindset that moves students from consumption to creation. It is about turning knowledge into action and allows for a true opportunity to support personalized learning.
Makerspaces began outside of education in the Do It Yourself (DIY) era. Community Makerspaces like this one are places where people can pay a membership to use the facility and supplies while collaborating and sharing with other members of the maker community. Makerspaces for education have become quite popular over the past decade.
This Makerspace for Education website provides many resources and research to help you develop a better understanding of the Makerspace mindset.
Over the years, different versions of Makerspaces began to develop including innovation zones, STEAM labs, media centers, fab labs, and collaboratories. The theme helps to focus and build a learning culture within that space. For example, a STEAM lab might focus more on engineering design challenges while an innovation zones might focus more on developing computer science skills. In the end, teachers and administrators have a big role in how the opportunities provided in the makerspace are structured. For example:
- Teachers / Librarians / Media Techs - facilitate the learning management, feedback and overall support of student learning
- Administrators / Makerspace Coordinators- faciliate the community involvement in helping to design, build, run, supply and schedule the makerspace
There are many different types of activities that help to shift teachers and students into the Makerspace mindset. This website provides three types learning activities that a teacher may want to facilitate in their classroom or in a Makerspace. The three categories are:
Explore- students are provided opportunities to explore new interests
Challenge- students are provided guidance and inspiration using challenge cards or engineering design challenges
Create- students are provided opportunities to work on creative projects