“MakIN TEACH - MAKerspaces for INnovation in TEACHing practices” is an Erasmus+ funded project that aims at exchanging good practices in using Fablab and Makerspace techniques, tools and spaces in the fields of education and training. The purpose of MakIN TEACH is supporting teachers and educators working with learners showing poor educational results in theoretical subjects (e.g. mathematics, biology, geography, history, language, communication etc.).

Fablab and Makerspace are innovation environments aligned with the Do It Yourself (DIY) movement, open-source hardware, maker culture, and the free software movement. They are collaborative work spaces that can be located in public or private premises for making, learning, exploring and sharing that use a wide range of equipment: from high tech to no tech tools. These spaces are open to kids, adults, and entrepreneurs and typically have 3D printers, laser cutters, Arduino, CNC machines, soldering irons and even sewing machines.

All project partners share the idea that these spaces have a great potential in being used as education and training environments, not only for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) but even for humanistic subjects and to develop soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, leadership and problem-solving.

According to this idea, all project partners have planned and carried out three short-term joint staff training events and one student learning activity:

• first training activity “FabLab/Makerspace 101 – modelling of teaching artefacts”, held at Fablab Bergamo (IT);

• second training activity “How to create teaching artefacts by using rapid prototyping tools and machines”, held at MakerConvent in Barcelona (ES);

• third training activity and first student learning activity “Turning the FabLab and Makerspace into the new classroom”, held at Fablab Bergamo (IT).

In the past three years, all partners have collaborated in exploring how to use Fablabs and Makerspaces as education and training environments and have developed ideas, materials and experiments during the local and international activities. 

By collecting all these experiences, this document intends to be a point of reference for all teachers, educators, students and makers interested in integrating FabLab and Makerspace into the traditional teaching and learning practices.