Exhibited by:

• Lliana Villegas

PLO Attended:

• Maker Ed Cohort

Coached by:

• Lori Stahl-Van Brackle

PLO Goals

I attended the Maker Cohort PLC because I enjoy learning and was transitioning into an additional role of MakerEducator. Additionally, I had applied for and received a MakerSpace Innovative Learning Lab grant for our school. I was challenged with developing a MakerSpace and its curriculum in time for our opening in December 2017. I was looking to better inform myself to develop a good implementation plan. I was searching for a way to incorporate Making into the classroom.

PLO Learnings

I attended the Maker Cohort PLC and learned more about finding materials, projects, skills needed to be taught and curriculum ideas . I was introduced to Materials for the Arts as a wonderful resource and was able to turnkey many of these things to our staff.

Implementation Techniques and Practices

1. Get everyone on the same page on what Making is.
2. Put teachers in the student seat. They become students alongside their students learning what is available and how to utilize MakerSpace for their class = PLC. They were then able to see how this would be useful in their own classrooms and decided when to use MakerSpace..
3. Make it fun!
   • Put the Fun in making! Teachers and students experienced quick Make it challenges and were also taught valuable skills to make things as varied as tech pouches, LED Light up bracelets using open circuit design and many other skills using the Mouse curriculum and the SuperHero Project.
   • Design Process, Sewing, Circuitry, Costume Making, Character development, Upcycling, and Prototyping.
4. Use the In Class feedback
   • Close out with presentations and ask
   • What would make this better for both students and teachers. What are possible barriers and how we can support.

Impact

The data from the exit tickets and presentations shows the staff and students are enjoying the MakerSpace not just as a space for Making but also for learning and connecting to their content areas. Our staff feels empowered to make use of the MakerSpace and work collaboratively with their MakerEd teacher.

Conclusion

There were multiple results from implementing a MakerSpace this year.

1. Students loved having an alternative to recess.
2. Incorporating Making with content allowed for our school culture to transform and rethink how materials are used and to truly value what we have on hand.
3. Teachers opted into using MakerSpace as a result of seeing kids designs from the sewing unit and Comic Con challenges.
4. Students were able to engage in productive struggle for longer and are able to persevere with problem solving. Knowing there are iterations to the process.

Next Steps

To continue the work next year, we will continue to use MakerSpace as a way to connect skills with content. Students will learn how to document their work as a way to develop their digital portfolios. Additionally, we will continue to use Google Forms to get feedback from Teachers on the effectiveness and relevance of the MakerSpace and as a scheduling tool to enable collaboration.