Educational Makerspace And Tools To Inspire And Equip Makers Within The Space
The rationale for this article is to explore the look and feel of the environment related to an educational makerspace as well as the selection of tools that both inspire and equip makers within that space in order to spark innovation, a new way of thinking, and creative endeavors.
Findings
Many makerspace support STEM programs, but by adding the "A" (art) component to STEM and creating STEAM, this creates increased opportunities for creative problem solving and nonlinear thinking to enter into the mix. Regardless of the purpose of the makerspace, it should feel inspiring – a place that sparks inspiration. It should be distinguishable from other areas within a school, within the community if it's outside a school, etc. It should have its own uniqueness and feel inviting. The guiding principle is student interest. Examine the target audience, choose the tools for space, and then create the space accordingly. The chosen tools should pique interest and incite curiosity among its members.
Select inspirational tools for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced student. Beginner tools inspire curiosity without the need for a lot of instruction and direction, and intermediate tools keep students engaged, spark collaboration among members, and teach more complex skills. Advanced tools should be added into the mix once members have had more experience working with and creating with the beginner and intermediate tools. Student ownership of the makerspace is pivotal as well. The projects they choose to work on in the makerspace, should arouse curiosity to the point they think about them even when they are not working on them in the makerspace. This type of curiosity can also overlap in the workforce where real world problem may require creative solutions. When considering a space, open areas with room for expansion are recommended equipped with ample electrical outlets, storage, and clean work surfaces while keeping the "inspirational" aspect in mind.
Above all, the space needs to be functional with an adequate selection of tools, curiosity needs to be piqued, and students need to be inspired.
Response
I was very excited to see STEAM education mentioned within this article and how it brings the "art" component to creative problem solving. The discussion around the space being inspirational makes a lot of sense. As I read through this article, many positive and negative aspects dawned on me in regards to the makerspace that my colleague and I have started. I feel that we are heading in the right direction but there is a lot of room for improvement. The space we chose is a lab classroom with plenty of room, equipped with ample electrical outlets, computers, monitors, and storage. Based on the findings with the article, I feel that did well. Where I feel we did not do so well was to make it inspiring to the students which plays into my action research topic. We have determined a purpose and a target audience but not all of the tools we chose and currently have, would fulfill the needs of students outside the STEM programs.
The tools that are mentioned within the article: LittleBits, blinking LEDs, a 3D printer, 3D software, etc. are tools we chose in addition to tools related to virtual reality, the IoT (internet of things), computing (Raspberry Pi computers), and AI (artificial intelligence) – these types of tools are geared more towards STEM field programs with some of the "A" in STEAM. Video game and character creation and designing and printing 3D objects contain the arts component, but indirectly. As a result of the research and information presented in this article, we have much room for improvement but we are doing some things well.
