You know it’s legit when the brains behind some of the most innovative companies in the world are backing it. Makerspaces have stormed onto the scene in recent years and are only getting more popular as time goes on, especially in K-12 environments. Perhaps because their benefits are so mighty or maybe because they’re super affordable and fun, makerspaces have created a storm of STEM stimulation—for everyone from kids to teachers and even grandparents.
How to Get Your Classroom Makerspace Started
Makerspaces have both real-world and curricular connections for students and, because of that, have rapidly become wildly popular among 21st century educators. The beauty of makerspaces is that their versatility is a huge asset for teachers with a lack of space (or a lack of budget). Makerspaces can be made anywhere in the school—from the library to the classroom or even an old, unused computer lab. And, educators don’t need to fill them with state-of-the-art machinery and materials, either. When it comes to student makerspaces, simple is often better as this allows students to truly tap into their creativity to (literally) make the most out of the materials they’ve got.
Like any new educational innovation, makerspace production can appear daunting as educators embark on the arduous journey of construction. One thing for teachers to consider first is how they will make time to fit their maker activities into the flow of the regular school day or if they would prefer to make it an afterschool makerspace. If teachers do decide to go with the during school option, they can use the appeal of the makerspace as a reward to encourage students to properly finish their work before they are allowed to start tinkering. It’s also important to eliminate wasteful behavior in the makerspace, including post-making messes and a lack of learning. To eliminate these, encourage students to come up with an end-to-end plan for building their project that includes design, building and clean-up scenarios.
As for materials, you’ve probably seen makerspaces filled with fine looking 3D printers or packed with a few robotics kits, but that doesn’t mean that they all have to be. Younger students especially (say, Grades K-3), don’t need the high-tech equipment in order to have a meaningful experience—they just need the opportunity to be creative. In fact, some of the best makerspace tools are just old cardboard boxes, toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, duct tape and glue! You may also need some more traditional tools, like screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches and scissors, but there’s no need to break the bank! A crafty solution could be to ask parents to donate some of the stuff they have lying around the house, like yarn, plastic containers, old tools, cereal boxes and things of that sort or even old electronic toys for kids to take apart. As long as it gets kids working with their hands and extending their creativity, it’ll fit in just fine in a makerspace.
Building Curricular Connections into Makerspaces
Makerspaces and the projects that take place within them can be very valuable to helping children learn key concepts and explore the real world first hand. The approach teachers take to facilitating makerspace learning, however, should be a very similar one to using educational technology in general. Most EdTech products, when used properly, are compatible with both state and national standards and, thus, their use in classrooms is beneficial in more ways than one. When considering makerspace learning, it’s good for teachers to think of their makerspace simply as an extension of the classroom—with just a bit more creative potential, but the same intention of making learning stick.
In makerspaces, students should be given the opportunity to apply creative thinking to crafting projects that directly relate to the topics they are covering in class. Oftentimes, the variety of available tinkering tools in makerspaces is noticeable, which allows students to explore any specific topics that might be of the most interest to them. Whether it’s some of the newest technologies or some old, worn-out odds and ends, the goal of the makerspace should remain the same: building a culture of making among teachers and students. The best part is that teachers are still able to facilitate curricular connections without the need for thorough supervision; all that’s really necessary is for them to supply students with a few essential tools that they know will help illustrate a few core concepts and then let them creatively figure out how to accomplish their goals.
Of course, maker education doesn’t have to be saved for only the time spent in the makerspace—it’s perfectly fine to incorporate some impromptu tinkering into any lesson or subject when the time is right! One other useful thing to keep in mind is that maker activities should never really be the same, meaning that an entire classroom full of students shouldn’t be building the exact same structure from the exact same instructions—this totally takes away from the creative aspect of maker education. As for assessing the making to be sure students are actually learning something, one fun way is to have them tell the story of their creation—why somebody needs it, who will be using it and for what purpose, etc. When students know why they are doing something, they are able to relate more effectively and, ultimately, pay more attention to developing the key skills they need to learn.
Makerspaces: An Opportunity for an All-new Industrial Revolution?
With all the technology available in our lives nowadays, it’s getting harder and harder to remember how the Industrial Revolution changed the world. Back then, it was considered cutting-edge to be able to use inefficient machines to trim year-long jobs into month-long jobs. A similar sentiment is becoming widespread with the advent of student-run makerspaces in schools and communities—but with much more efficient, intriguing and compact technology at the center. The idea is similar and the goal is the same. Children are constantly playing around with ideas and tinkering solutions out of commonly used everyday objects. Could we really be looking at the start of something here?
One of the tools commonly found in makerspaces are 3D printers, which let students design, customize and input dimensions into a computer program that prints them in three dimensions using a connected 3D printer. The Maker Movement provides hobbyists and ambitious designers with the means and exposure to create something meaningful and get it into the mainstream world much, much more easily. Since tools like 3D printers are relatively affordable, inventors can use them to build things and save thousands of dollars that they would have needed to pay a company to develop the physical product for them. Since costs are cut, we are seeing an explosive uptick in the number of new inventions entering the market all thanks to either the tools found in public makerspaces or the inspiration that comes from the maker environment.
Now, many people who are involved in the Maker Movement believe that, since makers have been given much greater access to the tools they need, they could very well be on their way to changing the world. Makerspaces provide access that is key in revolutionizing who gets to make things, what gets made and where and how they are able to make it. No longer are makerspaces just for kids either —there are plenty that accept members and, for a monthly membership fee, makers can have access to every tool, machine and idea they can imagine in order to perfect their invention much more efficiently. Since they’re conceived with makers in mind, makerspaces provide a viable place for just about anyone with any level of skill to get started and innovate from the ground up.
Maker Education is for All Ages
You often hear about teachers who constantly say that they learn as much from their students as their students learn from them. That is perhaps nowhere more true than in the active learning environments created by makerspaces. Makerspaces are generally built by teachers for use by students and designed to stir their imaginations in a way that helps them bring life to products and concepts that a short time ago were merely just ideas. If there’s one thing you should remember about makerspaces and their legitimacy in modern-day education, it’s this: A few years ago, the term didn’t even exist and now makers of all ages have been invited to the White House to celebrate their championing of creativity.
For students, one of the main purposes of makerspaces is to help support opportunities to learn about STEM concepts through making. Teachers and parents can get in on the fun as well, specifically when it comes to helping expand access to available resources for entrepreneurs and foster the development of specific skills in children. While schools are implementing makerspaces as a way to help give life to student creativity, adults are finding some of the other benefits that makerspaces provide. One of these benefits is the fact that makerspaces have helped reduced the ‘mind-to-market- gap, meaning that ideas from inventors are able to get into stores much more quickly thanks to them being able to use a makerspace to develop their idea, which also greatly benefits business owners.
Of course, it’s pretty important that teachers and other adults have a maker mindset of their own since they will be the ones guiding children in their learning. Having the space is one thing, but having educators who know how to lead authentic learning is also beneficial to students. Teachers should strive to find their own unique maker mindset through their own exploration and making so that they may be better able to relate to their students. Teachers and students can even play, design and make right alongside each other! Not only does this help each of them to get better at making, but students will also quickly learn the value of collaborative teamwork in the 21st century! Not that you would ever want to sit on the sidelines while children tinker in the school makerspace, but now you know why it’s important for teachers to get involved!
Makerspaces: A Great Equalizer?
By now, you know that makerspaces are extremely attractive opportunities for educators in part because, well, they’re extremely attractive to children. These innovative learning environments allow for an almost endless amount of learning opportunities for students of all learning groups. For kids with special learning needs, in particular, makerspaces are a way for them to express themselves without fear of failure—when they probably otherwise would not be willing to do so. The intrinsic equity and access that makerspaces create are vital to creating 21st century learning environments that are totally inclusive.
The thing about maker-focused learning is that it helps democratize learning. What we mean by that is that makerspaces ensure that all students have equal access to all concepts, materials and supplies, leveling the academic playing field for all students. Makerspaces, by design, also have a very low barrier of entry, meaning that they are able to meet all students’ needs by aligning the activities that take place with creating a culture that encourages and rewards participation. This helps ensure that all students, regardless of their academic proficiency, can start making without the need for constant teacher supervision and intervention.
While it’s true that makerspace learning is tremendously beneficial for students who learn in unique ways, they’re also very helpful for traditional learners and those who are referred to as ‘gifted.’ Regularly using visual clues throughout the day can help students become independent thinkers and problem solvers and different themes will allow for different types of learners to benefit from having a variety of resources available to them. Themes can also help students who need guidelines in order to learn effectively as well as helping kickstart creativity. One last thing to consider is differentiation. We’ve already talked about providing different tools for different kinds of learners, but the makerspace can be differentiated in other ways as well—namely physically. Try building some work stations for collaborative work and offering options for flexibility that empowers students to control their own projects. It’s a great time to get started with a makerspace—go make it happen!
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