The document discusses makerspaces, which are shared workspaces where people can access tools and equipment to learn skills through hands-on creation and collaboration. Makerspaces aim to stimulate creativity, innovation, learning, and economic development. Libraries are increasingly hosting makerspaces to provide resources to communities. The document provides examples of how makerspaces have been used in both classroom and non-classroom settings to teach skills across various subject areas in an interactive, project-based manner.

1. Makerspaces
What are they and how are
they used?
Michelle Di Libert

2. Integrating Makerspaces
Throughout the Curriculum
https://thejournal.com/articles/2018/09/04/integrating-m

3. Rural Libraries Hosting Movable
Makerspaces
What are Makerspaces and what is the purpose? The idea is to stimulate creativity,
innovation and the exchange of ideas to promote creativity, learning and inventiveness and
facilitate entrepreneurship, local economic development and skills enhancement”
(Schaffhauser, Rural Libraries Hosting Movable Makerspaces, 2019). This article discusses a
grant that can be applied for and how maker labs can be used to further the educational
process. Whether the materials and tools are high tech or low tech, digital or analog, art or
science, the focus is to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using the tools, materials,
and knowledge available. Libraries have always been dedicated to community partnership,
collaboration, and the free exchange of ideas -- makerspaces are the next step in that
progression" (Schaffhauser, Rural Libraries Hosting Movable Makerspaces, 2019). Typically
larger libraries can afford to do this, but some of the same benefits that patrons have
available in larger libraries are now being offered to libraries on a smaller scale.
https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2019/02/21/Rural-Libraries-Hosting-Movable-Makerspaces.aspx

4. Library Makerspaces Bring Technology to
the Public
This article summarizes how libraries are the first
places where new technology is shown to the public.
Many years ago, libraries were just books. Then their
name changed to media centers. This is because there
is so much more than a world of books at a library.
Digital forms of information are made first available to
the public via a library, and Makerspaces are no
exception. Some libraries have set up Makerspaces for
the public so that they can transform media. Examples
include VHS tapes being transferred to DVD or audio
cassettes to CD.
https://3dprint.com/233214/library-makerspaces-bring-tech-to-the-public/

5. A Makerspace for Everyone
https://www.ted.com/talks/robin_hooker_a_makerspace_for_everyone
A Makerspace for Everyone
https://www.ted.com/talks/robin_hooker_a_makerspace_for_everyone
As speaker Robin Hooker states in this video on “Makerspaces allow Ideas, culture and
technology to intersect or to collide. When those things collide, people make things that are
beautiful, innovative, and much needed”
(https://www.ted.com/talks/robin_hooker_a_makerspace_for_everyone). The video begins with
him discussing how his father used to teach him certain skills. What his father did not know is
that he was creating an environment called a Makerspace for his son to learn and be creative. A
lot of adults feel that they are passing on skills to their children and/or grandchildren. Some of
these people don’t even realize that they are “Makers.” The people learning the skills or trade
don’t even realize what’s going on, either. As much as I’ve seen technology teachers who are
instilling a trade or a skill to their students, these are perfect settings for Makerspaces. Shared
workspaces are ways for people to access equipment for learning. Hands on learning is one of the
most valuable skills that someone can learn.

6. The Seven Myths Keeping Teachers
from Designing Makerspaces
This podcast features John Spencer, who explains that teachers are the most important part of the classroom
environment. He goes on to mention that there are myths about what people think that Makerspaces are and
are not but with creativity, the sky’s the limit. These makerspaces should be in all classrooms to allow for
student creativity. When students can see how connections from learning can be made to real life, then they
can see learning as beneficial. Transformation can be a beautiful thing because when you have barriers, then
there are problems or limitations. Makerspaces have been associated with STEM or STEAM classes, although
they can be used in all classes. (Let’s not forget about English or History.) Teamwork, critical thinking, and
connections are only some of the skills that take place in Makerspace environment. As mentioned in the
podcast, “teachers and students are the most important elements in the classroom”
(http://www.spencerauthor.com/makerspace-myths/), but Makerspaces allow for students to grasp the concept
hands on and create something that they have learned. Teachers just plant the seed for the learning to grow.
http://www.spencerauthor.com/makerspace-myths/

7. In some of the classes that I have substituted for, I have seen creativity corners being utilized, and
these were a form of Makerspaces because not everyone had the same assignment. The concept
that they were learning was the same, but the product differed from one student to another. Most
of the Makerspace assignments that were given were in the form of Language Arts classes or
Mathematics classes. The only other exposure that I had to Makerspaces before this assignment
was from the assignment that we were given in Blog Post #10. I thought that Makerspaces was an
interactive software program that allowed for student collaboration (on the order of Google
Docs).

8. What are one or two particularly compelling
examples of Makerspaces? What made them
compelling for you?
One thing that I found extremely interesting is that
Makerspaces do not have to involve technology (or
it can involve technology to some extent). Being
that most of what we are learning has to do with
technology, this surprised me a great deal. I have
seen Makerspaces used in classes (they are called
‘centers’), and they always have used some form of
technology. Some of the best Makerspaces that I
remember from when I was in school involved no
technology and solely relied on creativity from the
student.
Another thing that I found
exceptionally fascinating is that a
Makerspace does not always have to
take place in a classroom setting.
Most of these makerspaces occur in
the classroom, but as in the example
with the video that I have selected,
Robin Hooker was involved in a
Makerspace that did not occur in the
classroom. He still learned how to do
something involving a trade, but he
was learning hands on without being
in a classroom setting.

9. Do you think Makerspaces will continue or be a
short-lived trend?
A lot has changed in education since my grade school days. Even in the technology classes
offered in high school have changed a lot. Interactivity among classmates and teachers
doing one assignment, classmates working on a group assignment, or many individuals
doing their own assignments will continue to be utilized in education. Expression and
creativity is something that helps foster student learning. When students can relate how they
see things in the real world and connect it to the assignment that they are learning, that only
helps them to remember and put into practice what they have learned. Continuing to use
Makerspaces in the classroom will not only help teachers to understand how students have
learned a specific concept, but it will help students in understanding because they will be
taking an active role and working hands-on to demonstrate understanding, not just
participating in a lecture by taking notes and asking questions.

10. REFERENCES