Task 2. Maker Education in the Classroom

One way that schools can support creativity and innovation is through maker education. My goal for this unit is for you to get a good understanding of what maker education is and how it supports creativity and innovation for K12 students. It's important not to miss any of them, as you'll be asked to use these later in this unit. 

Part 1. Learn about the Makerspace! 

1. 1. Watch the two short videos (linked below) that do a great job of showing you what happens in a makerspace.

   2. Read Stager, G. (2017). Unconventional wisdom about the maker movement. District Administration, 6-10.

   3. Select 2 readings from the EdTech Magazine's Makerspaces articles to learn a bit more about maker education (you'll have to scroll down past the banner image to get to the list of articles).

   4. Read about what's happening in Maker Education in a school right across the street from campus. This is a link to all of the references to maker education on the Barrow Elementary School Media Center blog written by Andy Plemmons, the school library media specialist. Set a timer and spend at least 20 minutes exploring the many maker education posts on this site (there are a few that feature UGA students taking EDIT 4100 - see if you can find a few!) 

Part 2. Roundtable Reflection

1. Visit our online roundtable session:

   • • Class A: https://go.parlayideas.com?invite_code=FnlK6dl5L 

     • Class B: https://go.parlayideas.com?invite_code=KoeQdbKAx 

2. Choose "Continue with Microsoft." Use your UGA email and password to log in.   

3. Share your reflection - write at least a paragraph; around 100-150 words for questions 1 and 2.

   • • 1. Please introduce and summarize one article you selected that would help classmates deepen their understanding of makerspace.

     • 2. Among the common misconceptions about makerspaces explained in the Stager, G. (2017) article, were there any misconceptions that you also had? Are there any of the Stager's arguments that you disagree with?

     • 3. One question that can make your classmates think deeply about the topic. It's a good idea to pose a question that makes connections between the text/video resources in Unit 4.

4. Post thoughtful comments to at least 2 posts. 

   • • In your comment, you need to include 1) your thoughts about the classmates' reflection, 2) your response to the questions posed by your classmates.

     • Please spread the wealth; if you notice a classmate who has not yet received a comment, consider posting one first. 

     • A friendly reminder: Interacting actively with your peers counts for a participation score (5% of the total grade).

** When responding to others' posts, please be respectful of different perspectives. This is a place for safe and constructive dialogue where we can all learn from each other. As tone can sometimes be difficult to convey online, please carefully consider how your words might come across before posting. Please follow the same rules regarding language and behavior that you would in a face-to-face classroom.