3.8.2 Makerspace Blog
3.8.2 Makerspace Blog
When I first started hearing about Makerspaces, I wasn’t much impressed. It reminded me of the times in the lower grades where students could play with block to build stuff on their own in the corner of the classroom. Often I saw the makerspace being used for a group to build the highest tower using spaghetti and marshmallows, or it was the high tech version of programming some type of robot to go through a maze. It seemed like things you can do in a classroom at times, but why the need to make a permanent “space” for such activities?
According to Edutopia, “Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering. These are deeply collaborative activities unlike my blocks playing in kindergarten. They also very much need to accommodate a wide variety of tools, materials and activities. There are elements in the makerspace of the traditional Industrial Arts workshop classes in middle and high school only with much more sophistication and collaboration. For our nation to continue to be a country innovators and tinkerers, we need to provide these activities and spaces in our schools for students to engage in engineering concepts and processes and to make their learning real world
When we think through what a makerspace should look like I think it should look more like a futuristic Thomas Edison laboratory. In trying to invent the electric light bulb he had thousands of different types of filaments available to experiment with as well as other experiments going on. In a makerspace there needs to be a wide assortment of materials and tools. Ideally the space should be open enough for group movement but contain places for the hands on activities as well as places to research and develop the ideas.
According to John Spencer, a professor who teaches project based learning online classes, “recommends that teachers who are new to making should begin with a single maker project, then gather the materials necessary for that project. If you are interested in creating a makerspace in your classroom or school start with baby steps. Research some ideas for projects and start with one project with your class. Once teachers do a few of these activities it will become more clear as to what materials are needed and how to lead the lessons more effectively.
At the heart of makerspace is project based learning. Professor Logan (lecture 3.4.2) listed the benefits of these types of activities.
All revolve around 21st century skills, Critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, Communication
Personalizes the learning experience
Very flexible
Higher level thinking skills - real world application, presentation skills, Application
Connects classroom academics to real world situations
Can be great tools to integrate into our curriculum
"Designing a School Makerspace | Edutopia." 30 Sep. 2013, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/designing-a-school-makerspace-jennifer-cooper. Accessed 8 Aug. 2020.
"What Is the Point of a Makerspace? | Cult of Pedagogy." 20 May. 2018, https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/makerspace/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2020.
Your first paragraph got me thinking--makerspaces do look an awful lot like play stations if the users are not given at least some guidance and purpose in what they are doing. Students should have some goal in mind, an answer that they are trying to find or a problem that they are trying to solve. While students can learn through "playing" and while flexibility is important in makerspaces, an effective makerspace requires that students know why they are experimenting and what end goal they are trying to achieve, even if the process of finding that goal is just as, if not more, important than the actual goal. Also, given that, I agree with your point that the more materials available in the makerspace, the more potential the students have to work out specific projects. (However, I suppose on the flip side sometimes limited materials can cause students to have to use problem solving skills even more thoroughly.)
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