What is a Makerspace?

    Much like the name implies, makerspaces are areas or environments where a student can work by themselves or with their peers to experience problem solving and create solutions to problems and obstacles. These spaces are typically designed and maintained by the educator, aimed towards promoting teamwork and problem solving. Students can attain problem solving skills through working in woodshops, tech labs, group projects, seminars, and more. 

    A makerspace can be any setting where an individual or group has the resources and/or time to discuss and work through a problem or scenario with the intent of creating a solution or number of solution. Many Socratic style seminars are typically utilized in a University setting where students can discuss and debate certain the implications of a given topic. These spaces are designed so that rather than have the students just listen to a lecture, they can be fully immersed in the learning and have the opportunity to problem solve their way to a solution via trial and error. This type of setting allows the student to adapt to new problems and situations as well as build social skills with their peers. Rather than assess the student's understanding with a quiz or test, these makerspaces allow the student to prove their understanding in a hands on way. What is most interesting about makerspaces is that they indirectly contradict a lot of basic assessment tools used in the everyday classroom. In the typical Math class for example, the answer is expected but alongside the proper function and equation. Makerspaces desire only the solution or number of solutions to a problem; the process can vary drastically and still be accepted. 

    In order for a teacher to implement an effective makerspace, they must entertain two branches of thought. The first is space, time, resources, and a clear obstacle or problem to be solved. There must be enough resources and space for the students to work through the problem and they must have the required tools to accommodate their work. The second branch of thought is more teacher focused. The teacher must have patience and good judgement. In order for the learning to occur, the teacher must know when to step in and when to let the students work through their issues/ problems when creating solutions. Although makerspaces are designed for more student focus, this doesn't mean the teacher is just sitting around. The teacher can gather data and make assessments about the students as they watch who participates, what the social scene looks like, and how the problems are being solved. Makerspaces are valuable opportunities for the teacher to get a real-time observation of their student that they wouldn't get if they were just taking quizzes and reading pages from a textbook. Makerspaces promote creativity and problem solving for both the teacher and the student as long as you take advantage of the opportunity!

Comments

  1. AngelApril 30, 2023 at 7:08 PM

    Hi Ben, thank you for pointing out that a makerspace is simply any space where students have an opportunity to problem solve. This is quite different from my idea of makerspace where kinds of materials are given to student to facilitate their brainstorming and ideation with project partners or peers. I would imagine that we would have at least some blank paper, pencils, big posters with encouraging words in the background to cheer students on to develop the maker mindset - a can-do attitude, or a diagram of the engineering design process. Like many good teaching pedagogy, I think besides having the space made available to students, the teacher's role is to write in their lesson plans to integrate the use of the makerspace through project-based learning activities, or STEAM projects. This must be done intentionally, like asking students to reflect on their expected student outcomes, habits of mind type, or even biblical worldview integration. Without writing these learning processes and outcomes into a lesson plan, the makerspace might simply become a white elephant if teachers were to go business as usual, in our environment where test-taking and the comfort of worksheets can lull teachers into doing busy work.

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  2. Sarah JacksonApril 30, 2023 at 10:33 PM

    Hi Ben,
    I think it is great how you wrote about the importance of what the teacher's role may look like in a Makerspace situation. Teachers can make it more student-lead, where they are simply observing students interact with the space and materials. Moreover, educators could act as more of a facilitator and guide their students towards a more specific outcome based on the lesson. There are so many great ways to implement a Makerspace, thank you for sharing!

    Sarah

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