Makerspaces are such a great option for educators. They provide a safe space for kids to fail, get creative, and use their interests to help them develop 21st century skills. Perhaps the best part of these environments is that there’s no wrong way to learn within them. Just about anything teachers and students attempt in the makerspace will help them learn something new. Some schools even go totally outside the box and use their space for totally unique projects and we say the more creative the better!
How to Jumpstart Your Makerspace
In the 21st century, students belong in the driver’s seats of their learning experiences. Active learning is the way to go and makerspaces are among the best environments teachers can offer their students to make this a reality. As teachers move away from their traditional positions at the front of the room, learning is taking place in all corners of the classroom, school, and even outside. Thanks to makerspaces and the Maker Movement concept, learning is no longer limited. Thousands of schools and community centers across the country have bought into this approach and built their own versions of a makerspace. In order to turn kids from students to designers and inventors, however, makerspace magic should include a few key features.
Once educators have the space secured and the tools in the building, they’re probably going to be looking for some great project ideas next. What’s the best place to find inspiration for your own students? Taking a look at some of the other makerspaces that are already out there. Whether near or far, there are tons of inspiring activities happening in makerspaces all over the world. Teachers could take some time to do some research and help discover what could make their makerspace tops. To make things even more appealing to students, many teachers also ask them what it is they want to do. This usually means figuring out what they’re passionate about and helping each child find a way to weave that into their makerspace experiences.
It’s also important for teachers to plan out their space while considering what will give it that ‘Wow’ factor, what will make students excited, and how to get that reaction when they walk in. Knowing where to find resources that won’t break the bank is important at this stage. Like we touched on earlier, makerspaces are great ways for communities to come together. Whether it’s parents, STEM professionals, or anyone else, members of the community will generally jump at the chance to help kids get innovative with their learning by sharing ideas for projects or perhaps even volunteering their time to help with whatever is needed. The last step is gathering all the materials for the makerspace. Just about anything can be used, including STEM tools, odds and ends, old supplies, and more. Check out the Makerspace & EdTech section of our store for more tools!
A Makerspace for Everyone
Makerspaces offer educators the opportunity to teach in an environment that’s a lot different than what they are traditionally used to teaching within. Students are able to be active in their learning, collaborate constantly, and fail freely all while learning very relevant skills. One of the more overlooked but equally important characteristics of a successful school makerspace is inclusivity. Students need to feel welcomed when they’re entering a new educational environment just as they need to feel when entering a new school for the first time. The beauty of makerspace learning is that there are no rules or restrictions, meaning that inclusivity should be all but guaranteed if school leaders make it a focal point. Whether students are interested in computers, robotics, coding, recycling, engineering, or something else, they can take on these challenges and more thanks to the welcoming environment of a makerspace.
In today’s era, flexible learning environments have become incredibly important. Especially with the growth of personalized learning, teachers are taking the fact that not every student learns in the same way very seriously. Learning in a makerspace tends to provide students with opportunities they need to develop certain skills—opportunities they otherwise might not ever have. While not all students will grow up to be inventors, it’s vital that they have an environment in which they can develop those skills because, chances are, they will be able to use them in whatever profession they choose to pursue. The team environment alone, which is so prevalent in makerspaces, is a huge stepping stone for kids to start getting a feel for real-world work. The fact that any student at any age can benefit from these opportunities doesn’t hurt either.
One resource that teachers will always have for testing the effectiveness of their makerspace’s inclusivity is older students. Some makerspace leaders have recruited their students from past years to determine how well their maker environment is set up and whether or not anything should be changed. Of course, these students can better relate to younger kids and offer ideas for how to improve the makerspace’s overall environment. To make sure your makerspace is as inclusive as possible while ensuring it still helps children prepare for the future, educators might consider scaling back on some of the higher-end tools, like laser cutters and carving machines. Especially in the early grades, it might be better to limit the high-tech equipment to one or two simple 3D printers, so that nobody is intimidated by the technology. As long as everybody feels there is something appropriate for their age and abilities, you have a foundation that can continue to be improved upon.
Budget-friendly Makerspace Project Ideas
Some school makerspaces have a lot of high-tech machines or a bunch of expensive technology tools for kids to use as they please. There’s nothing wrong with this as many of the EdTech tools available to teachers today are fantastic. Unfortunately, not every school can afford to pack their makerspace with the newest STEM products, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still have a thriving space. Some of the best makerspace projects are actually pretty low-tech compared to what you probably expect. In fact, some of the most common makerspace materials include yarn, cardboard, tape, glue, and various scraps from the cafeteria or somebody’s house. Creativity isn’t necessarily born from spending money and some of the best displays happen when students get hands-on with some interesting materials.
Budget-friendly makerspace projects offer a lot of flexibility for teachers and not just because they help save money. Using inexpensive materials often means that the project can be done by students in any grade, allowing them to collaborate among different age groups or work with others in their own class with just some minor adjustments implemented as needed. One of the best affordable projects, especially if your makerspace has happened to take over your school’s library is to make some crafts out of recycled books. They’re constantly getting worn out (or forgotten about) and students can use the pages for things like origami or creating collages. They can also take apart some of the tech that’s no longer being used (with proper supervision), like an old VCR or remote control, for example. Even if there are not any materials readily available, places like appliance stores and recycling companies often have plenty of it.
Like we said, cardboard is one of the most frequently used makerspace materials and a treasured tool for makerspace leaders. Whenever you can get your hands on some excess cardboard (the more the better!), it’s recommended that you jump on it. Cardboard is pretty easy to save up since so many things, like packages and food, come in cardboard boxes. You can generate a pretty sizable collection in no time at all and find some innovative projects for students to collaborate on or just let them build whatever comes to mind! As a makerspace leader, you’ll hear time and time again that there’s no wrong way to try a project in the makerspace. What’s even better is that just about any material can be used—and used meaningfully!
Starting a Makerspace for Under $20
Makerspaces should be popping up in schools all over the world. What they should not be doing is causing schools to go broke. Innovation is affordable these days and makerspaces are at the forefront of making educational innovation accessible to everyone. They’re designed for many reasons, including providing students with the opportunity to take risks and be creative. Budgets are probably the first thing most teachers think about when they’re deciding how to go about launching a school makerspace. We understand that. What we don’t understand is why there’s such a rush to fill the makerspace with the first tech products they see. Especially when educator pricing is available, teachers need to be mindful of their spending. It’s even possible to start a real, live makerspace for under $20. Really!
To take the first step in ensuring there is less than $20 spent to start up a makerspace, we should tell you to really put an emphasis on finding free stuff. Oftentimes, the very best makerspace materials are what most people would refer to as “junk.” Things students can take apart and, more importantly, upcycle work wonders in sparking innovation in just about any maker lab. Since they’ll probably wind up dirty and beat up anyway, the upcycling approach extends to desks, shelves, and chairs. Even if you don’t have any old furniture in your school waiting to be tossed, chances are another local school does. Peg boards are also great if you have any of those lying around in the basement or garage. You can use them to hold various tools and containers to keep things as organized as possible. Asking friends, family, and fellow teachers if they want to get rid of anything at all (they usually do) will also likely lead to the opportunity to acquire something useful for the makerspace.
Another way to come in under that $20 mark is to get active and find the best deals. There are plenty of things available—fabrics, tape, containers, cardboard (often free), and other craft materials—at a nearby Dollar Store. Some stores might even be willing to donate a few materials if they know you’re a teacher just looking to help kids prepare for their futures! Sending home notes to parents or a class newsletter could also yield some pretty useful donations from parents. They would also probably be excited to come see how things turned out once you’ve got everything set up. However you choose to go about maximizing your dollars, remember that creative thinking isn’t only useful for the students who are using the makerspace, but also for the teachers designing it. There are so many inspiring ways to get creative and save money and we’d be happy to learn about your ingenious way of doing it!
Tips to Plan out your Makerspace Like a Pro
Makerspaces, however formal or informal they are, regularly are increasing student exposure to STEM-based problem solving. The number of K-12 schools with areas dedicated to making, tinkering, inventing, and creating is growing at a ridiculously fast rate and with good reason. The skills students learn in a makerspace are easily transferable to the real world and to other areas of their education. Kids are learning things like technical disciplines, engineering, the functions of circuit boards, how to upcycle, and, perhaps most importantly, that there is no wrong way to invent. Why are they able to learn so much outside of the classroom, you ask? The effectiveness of a makerspace often comes down to how well it’s planned out and the thought teachers put into designing it. Whether it’s a highly technical space or an empty corner, makerspace planning has to have a purpose that benefits the kids who are using it. ‘
The first step is to take anything that’s available. This applies to makerspace materials as well, but, first, to settling on a space to develop the makerspace. Almost any space in the school can be repurposed into a functional makerspace, including storage closets, hallways, or even merging two adjacent classrooms. After that, teachers should focus on making that space active since makerspaces tend to thrive in open and active learning environments. With a whole bunch of students working on different projects, the more space there is, the better especially when it comes to maximizing productivity and creativity. This could lead to the next goal of the makerspace: Establishing a true maker culture. The mindset of each student is just as important as the space itself and this mindset starts with the teachers who are leading the efforts. It could be something like using 21st century tools to expand the curriculum through active learning and inventing. As long as students buy in, that’s all you can really ask for.
One of the best ways to generate innovative ideas for your own makerspace is to visit other ones. The good news is there are probably plenty around you in local schools, libraries, and community centers, all of which likely have something unique to offer. Then, once planning really gets underway, it’s a good idea to involve a bunch of people—everyone from administration to parents and even students to get as much input and feedback as possible. Once they help you realize and solidify your pedagogical goals, it will be easier to decide on the tools you want to include in the makerspace. This is when it’s important to remember to purchase with purpose and not just buy things because they look cool. To cap off the planning phase, open the makerspace to a small group of students at first. See how they work within it and gradually open it up to the whole school while making tweaks along the way!
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