Dissecting the Un-Makerspace: Recycled Learning It starts with a twist, a squeak, and a cheer. Watch out, 1980s cassette player, broken computer mouse, old monitor -- my fifth graders and I are looking for you! Your future doesn't hold a dumpster in it, at least not yet. You, my memory of past innovation, get a second life. Why? For an "un-makerspace" inspired by a journey to the Bay Area Maker Faire two years ago. Making vs. Before we start taking apart the un-makerspace, we need to look at the maker movement. Evan's catapult with cardboard, popsicle sticks, and rubber bands. Photo credit: Scott Bedley So the making led me to "un-making." Why did that little wheel spin when I pushed the play button on that cassette player? My students will have a space to dissect all the discarded and unwanted items and to ask those questions. Making an Un-Makerspace in 7 Easy Steps How can you create an un-makerspace in your class? 1. 2. Send out a request to your families and others in the community who may want to help. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Starting a School Makerspace from Scratch With the National Week of Making behind us, you might be ready to start a makerspace in your school -- but not know where to start. Will purchasing a costly 3D printer and the latest robotics kit ensure learning and maker success? What are some steps to starting a successful makerspace from scratch? Step 1: Immerse Yourself in Maker Education Before you can build your own community of makers, you need to join one! Start of newsletter promotion. Subscribe to the Edutopia Weekly newsletter—full of innovative teaching and learning strategies that will work with your students. Subscribe now End of newsletter promotion. Step 2: Get Others Involved Start a steering committee for your makerspace by involving interested teachers and students. If you can, reach out to the community and get parents and community members involved. Step 3: Purchasing Makerspace Resources Here are three guidelines: What purchases will give you the most bang for your buck? Step 4: Building a Community of Makers
Looking to Create a Makerspace in your Library? Here are some ideas Makerspaces are popping up everywhere and the definition of makerspaces is constantly evolving like the spaces themselves. Makerspaces, sometimes also referred to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. The focus, actually, is on the type of learning that goes on, not the stuff. Why focus on maker programs and spaces in your library? If you are thinking about ways to bring in some maker programs into your library, begin with identifying what kind of learning activities your teens want/need the most. Here are some other resources and ideas to help get you started. YALSA’s 2014 Makerspace Resources Taskforce put together this awesome (and free) Making in the Library Toolkit YALSA’s wiki on Maker and DIY Programs has resources, funding opportunities, program ideas and more. Tech Activity Ideas Makey Makeys are an invention kit for the 21st century. Little Bits DIY electronics for prototyping and learning.
Designing a School Makerspace Makerspaces, STEAM labs and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering. A makerspace is not solely a science lab, woodshop, computer lab or art room, but it may contain elements found in all of these familiar spaces. Therefore, it must be designed to accommodate a wide range of activities, tools and materials. Diversity and cross-pollination of activities are critical to the design, making and exploration process, and they are what set makerspaces and STEAM labs apart from single-use spaces. A possible range of activities might include: Cardboard construction Prototyping Woodworking Electronics Robotics Digital fabrication Building bicycles and kinetic machines Textiles and sewing Designing a space to accommodate such a wide range of activities is a challenging process. Ask the Right Questions Going Forward
Creating a School Library Makerspace: The Beginning of a Journey | Tech Tidbits Our library at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, CO is an active hub for extracurricular activities. We host an Anime Club, monthly Poetry Slams, and Book Buddies, but I felt like we could do more. I wanted something that I could tie to student learning which would promote inquiry, giving students opportunities to solve problems and find answers to questions. My assistant and I began looking at innovative library programs and community partnerships. Makerspaces are a natural evolution for libraries. No need to reinvent the wheel We have great models to guide us as we select the equipment to purchase and the procedures to follow. Where to get the money? There are several online fundraising sites to help raise funds for our venture, such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe.com, and adoptaclassroom.org. Next steps This week we will receive our first purchases. Embarking on this journey has been, and continues to be, an incredible learning experience for all involved. See also:
Maker Space In Education Series… 10 Sites To Start Making In The Classroom Welcome back and I sure hope you enjoyed the last article of 20 Reasons for Maker Space in Education. I hope you enjoy this post as I highlight 10 sites to possible help you to get Making in the classroom… even if in the smallest way! I encourage you to send me information and resources you think help with this idea, as I am also Making time to learn. First, to ensure you do not miss one of these valuable posts or other resources covering PBL, Digital Curriculum, Web 2.0, STEM, 21st century learning, and technology integration please sign up for 21centuryedtech by email or RSS. Booking Info – Time to think about your new school year needs. Makers Space Series Part 1: Maker Space In Education Series… 20 Reasons Your Students Should Be Making Part 2: Maker Space In Education Series… 10 Sites To Start Making In The Classroom Part 3: Maker Space In Education Series… 10 More Sites….Making With Technology Part 4: Maker Space In Education Series… Making It With Raspberry Pi Like this:
Makerspace Starter Kit The hot new Makerspace Movement is NOT new to Murray Hill Middle School. Eighteen years ago we designed and opened the school with the idea that we would have creation labs in the Media Center, GT room, and the TV studio. We started with video production, iMovie, Specular LogoMotion, Hyperstudio, and animation with Hollyood High kids. Here's an example of an EARLY (2003) video production called Bookfellas, featuring some Guy Ritchie-esque film direction techniques. These kids are now all grown up and we've kept evolving, too! It's OK to Start Small! I re-purposed some of my empty study carrels for this Makerspace center at the top corner of our library. As I asserted in a recent blog post about new Ed Tech trends, fads, & tech -you can start small and You Don't Have to Marry It! For the Duct Tape Craft Cubby, I used a spring loaded curtain rod to hold the duct tape rolls, bought a bright blue colored shower caddy for the scissors and other tools. Amazon Delivers! FUND Me!
Resources for Creating a Makerspace Are you ready to create your own Makerspace? Would you like some help? The Makerspace Lab website is designed to provide teachers, technology directors, librarians, hacker space designer and community leaders with information on how to make a Makerspace. The Makerspace community is very generous, and provides a lot of free information about how to build a space, lessons learned and tips for running a Maker Space. The following list of links should get you started. Come back soon as we add more DIY information. Links to Makerspace Websites MAKE- Make Magazine's website includes project instructions, the Maker Shed maker supplies store, project plans, videos, event listings and more. Maker Eduction Initiative - Make Magazine's Education specific site. Links to Makerspaces and Hackerspaces MakerSpaces for Kids, at Schools, Libraries and Community Spaces Creating Self-Sustaining Recess/Lunch-Time Makerspace Visits - Ravenswood School District started creating their Makerspace in 2013.
Want to Start a Makerspace at School? Tips to Get Started | MindShift | KQED News As the Maker Movement starts to gain momentum, schools that are trying to find ways to foster the do-it-yourself environment can learn a few lessons from another nexus in the universe: public libraries. Dale Dougherty, founding editor and publisher of Make Magazine — and the de facto leader of the Maker Movement — has a vision to create a network of libraries, museums, and schools with what he calls “makerspaces” that draw on common resources and experts in each community. Libraries and museums, he said, are easier places to incorporate makerspaces than schools, because they have more space flexibility and they’re trying to attract teens with their programs. “Schools have already got the kids,” Dougherty noted wryly, at the recent American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Schools can learn from libraries that participated in the inaugural Maker Camps last summer. “Why are you here?” But not every space is alike, or even appropriate.
What’s in a MakerSpace? By Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary S. Stager A well-equipped modern MakerSpace features flexible, computer-controlled manufacturing equipment for creating, cutting, and forming plastics, metal, plaster, and other common materials, including: 3D printers that are capable of producing three-dimensional objects. Deciding what to focus on first may seem like a daunting task. There is no absolute shopping list of must haves. Get started, do something, and refine as you see what works in your classroom. Beyond the game-changing technologies, your makerspace should include a basic stock of supplies to keep your students challenged, inspired, and busy. Electronic parts and tools Computers, cameras, software Craft and art supplies Building materials and traditional tools Junk for recycling into new products Batteries A library If you have a 3D printer or other fabrication tool, you should have a ready supply of the raw materials or consumable parts they use.
9 Maker Projects for Beginner Maker Ed Teachers - Blog Maker education (often referred to as “Maker Ed”) is a new school of educational thought that focuses on delivering constructivist, project-based learning curriculum and instructional units to students. Maker education spaces can be as large as full high school workshops with high-tech tools, or as small and low-tech as one corner of an elementary classroom. A makerspace isn't just about the tools and equipment, but the sort of learning experience the space provides to students who are making projects. Maker Ed places a premium on the balance between exploration and execution. Small projects lend themselves to indefinite tinkering and fiddling, while larger projects need complex, coordinated planning. Often, small projects can organically grow into larger and larger projects. Maker education provides space for real-life collaboration, integration across multiple disciplines, and iteration—the opportunity to fail, rework a project and find success. Smaller Scale Maker Education Projects
SCOE: Resources: Instruction: 21st Century Learning: Maker Education We are pleased to announce that Sonoma County schools and districts interested in the Maker Education movement will now find new support and expertise for their efforts at SCOE. Local Maker Education expert Casey Shea has been hired as a SCOE teacher-on-loan. He will be available two days per week to provide hands-on workshops, on-site trainings, guidance for creating Maker spaces, and suggestions for simple Maker projects to get students started. Shea currently teaches mathematics and Project Make at Analy High School in Sebastopol. He worked closely with Dale Dougherty and Maker Media in 2011-12 and helped create the first-ever Project Make class in the country. The goal of Maker Education is to create opportunities for young people to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in science, technology, engineering, math, art, and learning as a whole through “making.” Project Guides & Ideas Howtoons Look here for simple projects delivered in a comic-book style. Resources Contact
Manufacturing Makerspaces Kids gather to make Lego robots; teens create digital music, movies, and games with computers and mixers; and students engineer new projects while adults create prototypes for small business products with laser cutters and 3D printers. Many libraries across the US have developed makerspaces—places to create, build, and craft—and they are experiencing increased visits and demand as a result. For public libraries, they are places to promote community engagement. For academic libraries, they are places where students and faculty feel welcome to do classwork and research. Fundamentally, makerspaces are a technological leap past library knitting and quilting circles, where patrons and experts have often come together to learn new techniques and train others in a skill. The ALA 2012 Virtual Conference featured two well-attended makerspace sessions. Three Makerspace Models That Work By Travis Good Tools in a library makerspace range from electronics to digital media, 3D printing, and more. 1.
Want to Start a Makerspace at School? Tips to Get Started As the Maker Movement starts to gain momentum, schools that are trying to find ways to foster the do-it-yourself environment can learn a few lessons from another nexus in the universe: public libraries. Dale Dougherty, founding editor and publisher of Make Magazine — and the de facto leader of the Maker Movement — has a vision to create a network of libraries, museums, and schools with what he calls “makerspaces” that draw on common resources and experts in each community. Libraries and museums, he said, are easier places to incorporate makerspaces than schools, because they have more space flexibility and they’re trying to attract teens with their programs. “Schools have already got the kids,” Dougherty noted wryly, at the recent American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. One day during the conference, dubbed Maker Monday, focused on the Maker Movement, which emphasizes learning by engaging in tech-related projects. “Why are you here?”