A Makerspace is a physical location where people gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build. Makerspaces provide tools and working room in a community environment—a library, community center, private organization, or campus. Many are primarily used for technological experimentation, hardware development, and idea prototyping, but increasingly, self-directed individual inventors and creative teams are using makerspaces to build projects in fields other than engineering and technology. Makerspaces are zones of self-directed learning, providing a physical laboratory for inquiry-based learning and validating the drive for discovery that defines the researcher and the scholar.
Opportunity Statement
Digital, physical & blended Makerspaces offer a playful, purposeful alternative to traditional self-guided and collaborative learning environments. Are they the next generation of the classroom, or will they also transform informal learning markets such as community centres, science museums & children’s museums?
Prediction Source(s)
Makerspaces seem to have influenced the movement towards “Learning Commons'” within schools, spaces that serve as self-directed learning and collaboration areas. Tools are made available and learners utilize their creativity and expertise to forge meaningful learning artifacts or productions. This is something I am interested in
Makerspaces have influenced the development of the teaching and learning commons. The institution has put together a team of professionals to meet the needs of the student population. As this a transition year, the effects of this are not known as yet.
Makerspaces, as zones of constrictivist learning and self-directed creation, are also spaces for scaffolded mentorship. In our current climate of increasingly individualized, and often solitary, interactions with technology and devices, I believe that makerspaces have the potential to bring the human touch back to hands-on, experiential learning. The proliferation of both for-profit and community driven makerspaces, along with the growing frequency of localglobal events (ie, Maker Faire) renders this an extremely fruitful topic.
Some counterpoint to educational trends, including Makerspaces. Consider your responses to this critic given you are proponents.
http://digital.hechingerreport.org/content/5-myths-of-educational-innovators-part-i-disruption-digital-natives-and-learning-styles_827/
Makerspaces critiqued in part 2 of this 2-part article.
Makerspaces would seem to a fill a need in my current local technological approaches, which focus more on uses of technology with media, primarily print and video. I feel a need for tactile, constructivist learning. Virtual experiences can provide certain insights, but cannot fully replace a physical experience. A makerspace would provide a practical joining of technology and hands-on learning to augment teaching.
As the BC curriculum is changing to become more application/project based and hands on, it is becoming harder and harder to implement these changes without a proper environment to support teachers and students in these endeavors. Makerspaces gives any student in any subject the ability to utilize all the equipment/skills available to them to create something original rather than just limiting it to specific classes like science and electives (Home Ec, Woodwork, Art, Photography, IT). It gives students exposure to new skills by seeing what other students are doing or what technology is available to them so that they can apply skills across the curriculum.
Great blog by the way. Definitely adding this to my list of go to sources.
As for her deconstruction of self directed learning as being a bit over-hyped, I think it really depends on how it is integrated. I am really intrigued by this topic and would started talks with a IT company back home to set one up in the evenings at a school that just created there own learning commons.
Bringing in outside experts to provide mentorship in an ill defined makerspace would provide a lot of value to the school and the students. Creating partnerships between schools and companies that are looking to foster interest and encourage local students to pursue careers in their particular field is a win-win situation in my books.
Makespaces continue to be a huge topic for libraries and librarians at every event or meeting I attend.
One sampling of library engagement –> http://makezine.com/2013/07/01/check-it-out-libraries-embracing-makerspaces/
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