EDUCATIONAL MAKERSPACES. Editor’s Note: This article, reprinted from the June 2014 issue of Teacher Librarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals, is a thoughtful and insightful examination of the philosophy and pedagogical underpinnings of the maker movement.
The authors’ analysis and argument are strong, and the benefits they tout are inspiring. The authors will follow up with two more articles on the maker movement which will be published in the next two issues of Teacher Librarian. To download a PDF version of this article, click here. What Is a Makerspace? Get the Definition Plus Resources for Your School. When’s the last time you made something or took something apart to see how it worked or to turn it into something else?
Unless you have a hobby that requires you to be hands on, you probably haven’t made anything in a while. For many of us, making something is both a difficult and rewarding process. While the motivation is there, finding the time and place to tinker can be a whole other barrier to entry—unless you have access to a makerspace. What is a makerspace? You might have heard of a makerspace. 10 Reasons to Create Makerspaces in Your School. Makerspace is a relatively new method of teaching students in a space where they can get hands-on experience working with concepts they recently learned.
The point of the space is to make, create, and invent new things. There are many advantages to giving students a place to apply concepts, and those benefits are true for all areas and fields of study. If you have been thinking about creating a maker space in your classroom, here are a few things to consider to help you understand why you should go ahead and do it. Builds Perseverance – Failure Is a Lesson, Not an End. An assessment matrix for library makerspaces. Aijuan Cun is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo, NY.
Her research interests focus on children and family literacy and library makerspaces. Currently, she is studying how possible assessment tools can be used to address the needs of patrons and librarians. Library Makerspaces Spark Creativity. A makerspace may be something that has been on your radar lately.
These innovative and collaborative environments are being incorporated into a variety of spaces. A makerspace can be big or small and hold any number of tools and materials for users to investigate and learn. The purpose of having a makerspace is to present people with an opportunity to explore their interests through hands-on, creative projects. Seven Surprising Benefits of Maker Spaces. Noted experts Carrie and Alton Barron explain one of the single most important ways a librarian can point patrons to optimal intellectual and emotional experiences.
“It is creative apperception more than anything else that makes life worth living.” (D.W. Winnicott, psychoanalyst and pediatrician) What purpose do libraries and librarians serve in a community? Knowledge, self-initiated learning, and a place to gather are just a few of the traditional offerings. Ultimate Makerspace Guide For Schools and Libraries. Makerspace Pros, Cons & Considerations. In studying and evaluating a practice, it’s vital to examine all sides of it, considering both its pros and cons—even projecting its potential for flourishing or fading with time.
Just as a painter carefully studies a subject from all angles, featuring both light and shadow, so should we examine makerspaces with similar scrutiny. A balanced view of the makerspace practice within school libraries will provide realistic expectations for its results as well as a healthy anticipation of its downsides. Since makerspaces require a significant investment of time, energy and resources, it’s essential to consider an objective view of their purpose, their promise and their pitfalls.
As Slatter and Howard (2013) report, much of the literature is largely supportive of the library makerspace movement and “although advantages outweigh disadvantages, there are still shortcomings to consider” (p. 274). Like this: Why Your Students Need a Makerspace - The STEM Maker Lab. Makerspaces have become a hot topic in education.
While not a new concept, makerspaces are gaining traction for the many benefits they provide students as these spaces are integrated into classrooms and schools. Makerspaces are designed to challenge students to create and learn through hands-on, personalized experiences throughout elementary, middle and high school. Here are a few of the many benefits of makerspaces. Providing the opportunity to innovate. A Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources.
"There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015.
" What is a makerspace? You've no doubt been hearing that word more than a few times over the past several years. Makerspaces, also called hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs, are collaborative spaces where people gather to get creative with DIY projects, invent new ones, and share ideas. Since the first official makerspace convened six years ago in a library in upstate New York, libraries have remained an ideal setting for makerspace events across the country. Many offer community resources like 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies, and more. Makerspaces: the Benefits. The benefits of educational makerspaces are many and varied.
While they do not come without their challenges, makerspaces can have a significant impact on student learning and development. In fact, makerspaces were recently identified as one of six important developments in educational technology for K-12 education by the New Media Consortium (NMC) Horizon Report for 2015, which states, “Makerspaces are increasingly being looked to as a method for engaging learners in creative, higher-order problem-solving through hands-on design, construction, and iteration” (p. 38). According to the NMC (2015), makerspaces have the potential to effectively address the necessary skillsets for students in the 21st Century (p. 38). What follows is an explanation of some of the potential benefits that can be gained through maker learning and well established makerspaces.
The Benefits of Makerspaces in School Libraries. The Curiosity Commons blog, via Makerspace Playbook: School Edition, defines a makerspace as “a gathering point for tools, projects, mentors and expertise. A collection of tools does not define a Makerspace. Rather, we define it by what it enables: making.” Why Make? An Exploration of User-Perceived Benefits of Makerspaces. By Elizabeth J. Hartnett on November 28, 2016 ELIZABETH J. HARTNETT is a PhD candidate at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Contact Elizabeth at Ljh79@aol.com.