Evolution of a Maker Space, From “Monstie Stuffie” Projects to a Giant Catapult
littleBits activities at the circulation desk in Colleen Graves’s school library. Two years ago, I was asked to write an article for Knowledge Quest about how I created a maker space at Lamar Middle School in Flower Mound, TX. That first year of programming is so different from what I do now that I thought it pertinent to chart how our maker programming (#Makered) has evolved. During my first year as a librarian in 2012–13 my Teen Advisory Board (TAB) helped me redecorate a small office located behind our circulation desk. My director bought us some reading rockers, chalkboard paint, rain gutters, and 25 licenses for Minecraft.
How Fair Is Your Maker Space?
All students should be able to benefit from maker spaces and maker education, which emphasize student-driven learning and foster the development of 21st-century skills. However, not all maker spaces and activities are created equal. Some feature high-tech equipment such as 3-D printers and scanners, programmable robots, mini-computers, and high-tech construction toys—equipment carrying a hefty price tag that not all schools can afford. In addition, maker space activities may cater to certain kids’ interests but not others—including dynamics that educators might not even be aware of. Plus, is self-directed learning the best type for all kids? Here are answers and ways to address these issues.
Include – NSLS Shared Foundations Challenge
I’ve given myself the challenge of spending a few weeks with each of the Shared Foundations in the new National School Library Standards. Unsure about the new standards? My intro post has some explanation. The standard I’ll be focusing on for the next few weeks will be include. Once I dove into the “include” section of the standards, I realized that I had a misconception of what “include” was.
(Rethinking) Makerspaces
Kids have always made in my library. We encouraged digital and visual and dramatic and rhetorical creativity before, during, and after school. But for a while, I’ve questioned the value of using already heavily used real estate to randomly carve out space for a 3D printer, electronics stations and sewing machines. I had my doubts about the makerspace movement in school libraries.
How to Start a Makerspace When You're Broke
Everyone’s Favorite Excuse I’ve had the honor and privilege of sharing with hundreds of librarians and educators about our makerspace. Unfortunately, I see many educators hold back on starting a makerspace because of funds. I’m always hearing excuses like:
The Learning Power of WebQuests
Educational Leadership December 2003/January 2004 | Volume 61 | Number 4New Needs, New Curriculum Pages 42-47Tom March When the Web was still young, Bernie Dodge, a professor at San Diego State University, came up with the idea of the WebQuest, a model for integrating the use of the Web in classroom activities. He defined a WebQuest as an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet. (Dodge, 1995) In the early days, Bernie and I spent many hours developing the key attributes of a WebQuest, emphasizing the importance of combining authentic tasks with Internet resources to develop critical thinking skills.
Launching a Makerspace: Lessons Learned From a Transformed School Library
Excitement about school makerspaces has been in the air, but many educators eager to create hands-on learning spaces in their schools still aren’t sure how to get started or why it’s worth the effort. New Canaan High School librarian Michelle Luhtala recently jumped headfirst into creating a makerspace in her library and documented what she learned, how her space changed and how it affected students along the way. Her experience was very different from elementary school librarian Andy Plemmons, whose makerspace started with a 3-D printer obtained through a grant and blossomed into a core teaching resource at his school. Luhtala is blessed with a big library, but for most of her career it has been dominated by large bookshelves. Over time, Luhtala has pared down her collection as she increased the digital reading material the library offers, but in order to make room for a makerspace she cleared out 7,000 books. A floor plan of shelving in Luhtala’s library in 2011.
I Created A Little Makerspace To-Go.....It Even Includes A Makerspace Mobile Too!
On Monday and Tuesday of next week I have the honor of presenting to a variety of educators including administrators, teacher librarians, technology coordinators, and classroom teachers at the TIES Conference in Minneapolis. My presentations focus around makerspaces and the importance of the make movement and these spaces in education. By definition makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more. I love seeing what my friends and others are doing with makerspaces. It was so much fun to create one in the library at Van Meter.
What Being #FutureReady Means To Me
This week I had the opportunity to work with two wonderful groups of school librarians in upstate NY. Over the last two years, I've spent a lot of time in this part of the country, getting to know the school systems, gorgeous geography and even more beautiful people of New York state. It's always an honor to be a part of the professional development journey of educators, but I feel especially connected to the librarians or NY state now. What a pleasure it has been to learn and grow with these fiercely dedicated educators. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I really am the luckiest librarian around. That said, part of what I was asked to do this week was introduce librarians, from two different regions, to the #FutureReady initiative, as part of two days of PD focused on "Creating The Libraries of Tomorrow for the Students of Today."
Makerspace Resources and Programming ideas
Create Collaborate Innovate Posts on Making Sign up for this MOOC offered by Exploratorium: Tinkering FundamentalsSign up for Google’s Maker Camp and Google Science Camp.Follow and read the blog over at Exploratorium’s Tinkering Studio or sign up for their tinkering course!Find cool stuff and Make it at your Library!Need ideas?
Maker & DIY Programs
Maker enthusiasts: anyone can edit this page. Please share your resources here! You may also be interested in our STEM Resources page and our Teen Programming Guidelines from YALSA (.pdf) Activities
Classroom Management - It's Not About Control
Last week I blogged about “Entrance and Exits” and how to manage them for a smooth transition. This week my focus is on what happens in-between the coming and going. You have many roles as a librarian—information specialist, instructional partner, teacher, and program administrator, but the one you will be judged on is teacher. Managing the library environment, as I noted, is challenging and many have difficulty with it. The topic is rarely covered in library school and what works in the classroom doesn’t translate easily to the library. You don’t have a regular seating arrangement, you don’t give grades, and there are many places where students can be out of sight.
