Makerspaces - Technology in Action! - Well not really.
Recently I had the opportunity to visit a middle school makerspace in action, and it was not what I expected. I expected to see kids engaged in some serious technology like green screens, robotics and even creating videos. What was actually going on was more like kids destressing from their school day. They were working mostly in groups of twos on small craft like projects. Things like perler beads, yarn(making scarves) and several boys were working with Knects making cars that go with batteries.
I had to ask myself am I disappointed that there isn’t more advanced things going on? Well, yes and no. It would have been totally cool to walk in and see a movie being made. But on the other hand, school can be stressful and allowing students a little time to destress in a safe environment, is a great idea. Plus now this group of kids feels comfortable in the library and with their librarian. Now that alone is awesome.
As I watched the kids work on projects, the librarian explained that she too thought the big ticket items would be what they most wanted to do and she quickly discovered that in most cases they just want to relax with a friend or two and create something. They just want to relax and not think about school work for an hour.
So if you are thinking of putting one of these together on budget, don’t worry as Diana Rendina says in her Blog http://renovatedlearning.com/2014/11/26/5-tips-for-starting-a-makerspace-on-a-budget/
“When I talk to other librarians and educators about starting a school Makerspace, one of the most common things I hear is: “I’d love to do (insert cool Maker activity) at my school, but we don’t have a budget for that”. What many people don’t realize is that the idea that you need a lot of money to start a Makerspace is a myth. All you need is to have vision, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. A lack of funds is no longer an excuse for keeping your students from experiencing the empowerment of bringing the Maker Education Movement into your program.”
It seems like for a lot of students just being able to do and think about something else for an hour or two a week is what they look forward to the most.
Makerspace in action
Helpful websites/blogs for starting your own.
Pinterest ideas
I really think that Makerspaces are what your schools makes of them. So many teachers at my school rarely use it or have time to use it. I did a lesson in there with a first grade class and they had such a great time creating, inventing, and collaborating. I think it all comes down to time and making it fit into your curriculum. As the librarian we are here to help!! We also have lots of tubs in our Makerspace that we collect throughout the year to help with the materials available.
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