MakerSpaces

Tinker-Create- Invent

A Makerspace is a designated spot where students work together to tinker and create something with a variety of tools, gadgets and objects.

Practical Implementation of an Educational Makerspace

Practical Implications for an Educational Makerspace is a study about one high school's journey towards successful tinkering, creating, and building with MakerSpaces. When the librarian at New Milford High School followed the principal’s orders to make the library an educational center with a variety of comprehensive resources, the librarian implemented MakerSpaces. The process of implementation began with students exploring and dabbling with a variety of gadgets. All students were encouraged to create and innovate without any pressure to work on a specific task. Over time though, the library evolved into MakerSpace sections where students would wok on something specific. Sometimes, students needed some prompting to get started. Once they were in, they became very interested. Kurti et al. (2014) continued to explain how the students engaged with the MakerSpaces and the success that came out of this study. The article also explains the challenges of integrating MakerSpaces and some helpful hints on how to get these projects started in schools.

WeDo Kit

WeDo kits are Legos with a twist. Students connect to the WeDo app, work through a lego build, attach a motor and battery, and code their design to move make noises, and flash lights.

Brickyard Building Blocks

These building blocks are for young students to explore tinkering and building with childsafe pieces that fit together to make a variety of objects

Dash and Dot

Dash and dot are both robots that can be coded to move around and make noises

Strawbees

Children use Strawbees to construct different objects that can stand on their own, spin around and glide.

References

Admin. (2021). What is a makerspace and why do they still matter today? MiEN Company. Retrieved from https://miencompany.com/what-is-a-makerspace/?gclid=CjwKCAjwoP6LBhBlEiwAvCcthFMbGmNcRulgFSrlK3yNuMn6tFH36OjHN0QpBB_9N8u19zBkYWYDrRoCu6cQAvD_BwE.

Hickey, J. (2019). It's time to remake the Makerspace, but schools shouldn't go it alone - edsurge news. EdSurge. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-06-13-it-s-time-to-remake-the-makerspace-but-schools-shouldn-t-go-it-alone.

Kurti, R. S., Kurti, D., & Fleming, L. (2014). Practical implementation of an educational makerspace. Teacher Librarian, 42(2), 20.

What is a makerspace and why does your primary school need one? Teachwire. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.teachwire.net/news/what-is-a-makerspace-and-why-does-your-primary-school-need-one.