Designing & Implementing a Makerspace Model in Your Library Media Center

Purpose & objective

Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn while integrating a STEM instructional approach. These approaches integrate reading, writing, social studies, math, science and technology through an inquiry-based approach to teaching and student learning. Students are not learning the various academic areas in isolation, but these areas are integrated into real world application to engage students in the learning process. This is the model or approach that we will be using to design our Makerspace program that will help enhance STEAM exploration with various diverse learners.

Educators will walk away with knowledge on how to setup and design an Innovative Makerspace within their LMC. They will learn about the challenges that we faced along our journey and how we were able to solve those issues and concerns. In addition, they will learn about various technology tools as well as low tech tools that we used to help students design their projects. The high technology tools we will be using include the following: Ozobots, Bloxels, Osmos, Spheros, Flipgrid, Appear.in, just to name a few. Participants will leave this session with a slide presentation and resources to help jump start their own Makerspace. Lastly, participants will learn how we were able to attract diverse learners to participate in the the Makerspace movement and in turn how the students began expressing interest in STEM fields.

Essential Question: How do you launch a successful Makerspace within your LMC?

Vision - What are our core beliefs? How could we draw in diverse learners into authentic learning?
Designing A Makerspace Innovation Center- Our journey setting up a Makerspace within our LMC. How we designed the program?
Logistics - Learning how to use tech tools like Flipgrid, Bloxel, Ozobots, Spheros, and other non-tech materials. Also, learning how to teach students to generate and develop an essential question about a real world issue so they may begin researching. How to teach students to work as a team?
Environment - Where to house a Makerspace? How to design the room?
Barriers - Lack of resources - how to be creative with lack of resources? Outcomes - To Be Determined at the end of the year through outcomes provided by both teachers and students.

Supporting research

Getting Makerspace Off The Ground
https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=4009&name=Getting+a+Makerspace+off+the+Ground

8 Question to Ask Before Creating a Makerspace
https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=767

No Fear Coding - Computational Thinking Across the k-5 Curriculum,” by Heidi Williams
“The STEM Shift - A Guide For School Leaders” by Ann Myers & Jill Berkowicz
“Engaging Diverse Learners Through the Provision of STEM Education Opportunities,” A publication of the Southeast Comprehensive Center at SEDL, May 2012
http://www.sedl.org/secc/resources/briefs/diverse_learners_STEM/
“No Fear Coding, Computational Thinking Across the K-5 Curriculum,” by Heidi Williams
“Six Characteristics of a Great STEM Lesson,” June 17, 2014