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In the article Our Makerspace by Heather Lister she explains how makerspaces have helped her library and made it a better environment, she does this by utilizing ethos, and her overall idea is the promotion of makerspaces in schools and libraries.

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BEGINNING THE JOURNEY

When I was starting our makerspace, I did as much research as I could on existing school library makerspaces. And although some bloggers are awesome at posting specific about specific activities and resources to buy, I needed the big picture. I needed answers to a lot of basic questions before I could get into the nitty-gritty.

Did you need "approval" for beginning your makerspace? If so, who was involved?

Where was your makerspace? Did it consume the entire library? Was there a space dedicated to the makerspace?

If your makerspace is in your library, what do you do when you have classes that come in for research or other traditional "library" things? Do you close the makerspace?

Who supervised the makerspace? Was it always the librarian? If not, who else? Do you have an aide that helps out? What about student helpers?

When is your makerspace open? Before school? After school? Study hall? Do students come throughout the day? If you operate on a fixed schedule, is the makerspace a part of your instruction?

Did you ever put limits on the amount of students that could use the makerspace? If so, how did you decide? Was this out of necessity due to space limitations or so that you could ensure you had enough supplies?

If you were limited in space, how did you decide what to feature in your makerspace? Did you have weekly or monthly themes?

How was your makerspace funded? Grants? PTO? Fundraisers? If it came out of your budget, how did you budget for the "newest" tools over a year in advance? How did you budget for consumables (i.e. yarn, duct tape)?

In attempt to make it easier for those of just beginning your makerspace, I will do my best to answer all of these questions. Basically, these are all the questions I hunted people like@DianaLRendina, @gravescollen and @NancyJoLambert to answer. Unfortunately, I'm still trying to answer some of these myself. Turns out, you'll never be "done" with your makerspace.

I'm going to let that last sentence sink in a bit.

That's right. Never.

Students change, teachers change, interests change and therefore, so does your space. We've only had our makerspace operational for just over a year and we've changed a lot. Though the changes, we've realized where we need to focus more attention and resources, and we've been able to realize what's working and what isn't. As you're reading through this information, please remember that there is no "perfect" makerspace and sometimes, things are out of your control (i.e. time, access, budget, etc.). There are many makerspaces out there that I would love to replicate. Or would I? I have different students with different interests and personalities. Therefore, my makerspace should be made specifically for them.

[If you are looking for specific projects that we've done in our makerspace, just keep checking the blog. I'm trying my best to manage life and regularly post about our creations.]

Before I get into answering specific questions about our makerspace, here is some general background (and photos) of our school library before the makerspace. Hopefully this will help put some things in context.

Hershey Middle School Profile:

6-8 grades, approximately 900 students

1 full time librarian (me) and 1 full time library aide

Library operates on a flexible schedule for classes

1:1 school with iPads

Students have "flex" period (study hall) at one of three times during the day (this is our busy time). Flex times are specific to a grade level, meaning, I see all 6th grade at one time, and 7th at another. The only time kids see each other during flex is if they choose to come during their lunch which overlaps with another grade's flex.

The first thing I did to start my makerspace was weed like crazy. This is the "after" picture. This was before we began our makerspace, although the bulletin board was primed for our LEGO wall (next to the SMART board)

The two pictures below are from what WAS the library office

Did you need "approval" for beginning your makerspace? If so, who was involved?

Hmmm... Approval? Sort of. I knew going into this position that they were anxious about bringing a makerspace to our school, but it was still essential that I keep administration in the loop as I built it. I worked very closely with my Director of Infrastructure Technology (@dsweigert), my Director of Instructional Technology (@tlandry) and my Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction (@winslost). First thing we did was develop a mission, mission, and a plan. We made this document during the summer of 2015. Feel free to use and adapt as you'd like.

Where was your makerspace? Did it consume the entire library? Was there a space dedicated to the makerspace?

The answer to this question has changed several times and will most likely be changing again due to needs. The pictures below depict how I originally envisioned the makerspace. I took pictures of the space and used Google Drawings to mock up our space. This was right next to our LEGO Wall and the kids dubbed the space the "Creative Corner". I thought it was awesome. Except none of this happened. Why? Read next question.

Now our makerspace is in my old office. It is far from awesome. It is small. It get's messy. Oh, and there is no roof. So despite the advantage of having a closed off section for the makerspace, it is still noisy as can be and makes it nearly impossible to be in operation if there is a class in the library. It really kind of stinks.

Here are some pictures of the makerspace when it first began.

It was probably a good sign that I had two kids in there playing with litteBits. Seriously, this is the DAY I started moving stuff out. You can still see my Alan Rickman (RIP<3) poster in corner.

This was our Makey Makey station and our charging station for our Sphero, Dash and Dot, and the Ozobots.

This was our Ozobot Station and where I put some literature on making.

This was our littleBits bar

It's almost humorous to look at these pictures because it doesn't look anything like this anymore. Here are pictures of what it looks like today:

If your makerspace is in your library, what do you do when you have classes that come in for research or other traditional "library" things? Do you close the makerspace?

As you can tell from the panorama at the top, the LEGO wall is positioned right next to our SMART board, which is at the front of our "classroom" space. During my first year, we really didn't have too many classes in so I didn't anticipate it being a huge issue. I figured we'd just pack things up if we needed the space. But unfortunately/fortunately, the teachers started recognizing my value and liked having some fresh blood in the library, that they actually started using it. :) Awesome for library. Not awesome for my plan. This is why we moved our makerspace into the office in the first place. It definitely wasn't what I wanted, but I felt as though it was my only option.

Unfortunately, it still isn't ideal. Because of not having a roof, I am still forced to close down the makerspace if I have a class in the library. Oh, and did I mention that the library has like 40 foot ceilings and NO sound dampers?! (But we're working on it). So no matter how quiet kids are, there's noise. When someone blows their nose, it sounds like a tornado. Of course I chat with the teacher to see if they are okay with some noise before closing down the makerspace, and sometimes they are. But sometimes they just need their students to focus and it be quiet and I completely respect that.

If I am scheduled to teach a class, I often go to the teacher's classroom (unless they would rather use the library in which we follow what I mentioned above).

Who supervised the makerspace? Was it always the librarian? If not, who else? Do you have an aide that helps out? What about student helpers?

As I mentioned above, many times I leave the library to go collaborate with a teacher. Or the many many meetings. We are very fortunate to have a full time library aide. And although she has little to no involvement with the makerspace, she can make sure no one kills themselves and ensure that they clean up after themselves. As much as possible, I try to be there during our busy hours (flex time). But for the most part, our makerspace is self-sufficient.

There are pro's and con's to this.

I don't need to be there in order for the kids to use the makerspace.

Kids aren't limited to just the projects or challenges I organize.

Kids can focus on what they're interested in and showcase their genius.

Some tools aren't intuitive and kids need an "orientation". [I tried putting QR codes to YouTube videos but the kids aren't really using them]

Some projects dominate the makerspace. When we were building our augmented reality sandbox, it took up nearly the entire makerspace for a solid two weeks.

We don't have formal "student helpers" but there isn't a minute that goes by where one student isn't helping another.

When is your makerspace open? Before school? After school? Study hall? Do students come throughout the day? If you operate on a fixed schedule, is the makerspace a part of your instruction?

Our makerspace is open for 30 minutes before school (at 7:00am) and 30 minutes after school (3:00pm). On Mondays we are open until 3:45pm. The teacher contract time is 7:23-2:45. I voluntarily arrive early and stay late. I do not get paid. The library aide is scheduled from 7:00-3:00 so she is also able to open the library in the morning.

The library is also open throughout the day but it is typically only used during flex (study halls) which are from 10:33-12:25pm. Each grade has their own flex time and lasts about 40 minutes. As I stated above, the study hall time overlaps with another grade's core instruction time. Therefore, if a teacher is signed up to use the library, I typically limit the library to just book check out and printing. Actually, at the time of this post, we have THREE classes using the library at once. 76 students are in the library for four periods of the day and there isn't a single seat left. (Again, pros and cons).

Thus far, we've done only a few activities integrating the makerspace into instruction. And in most instances, it wasn't deliberate. Slowly but surely teachers and students are seeing the makerspace as a way to take their learning to the next level.

A math teacher used Dash and Dot and Sphero to play soccer.

A science teacher encouraged students to design something on the 3D printer when doing a variables project.

Another science teacher encouraged students to design a 3-blade propeller to test whether it would make the rubber band airplane fly better than the 2-blade propeller.

We did a Make Writing activity where we incorporated some of the makerspace elements into writing workshop?

Did you ever put limits on the amount of students that could use the makerspace? If so, how did you decide? Was this out of necessity due to space limitations or so that you could ensure you had enough supplies?

In the beginning, nearly all of our makerspace resources weren't consumables (except for the filament on the 3D printer). I did this because I hadn't budgeted for anything and I had no idea what to expect in terms of usage (and I still don't). This year, I bought perler beads, rainbow loom, duct tape, and rounded up TONS of recyclables for projects. Unfortunately, when they're gone, they're gone. (until next year or our next fundraiser)

Most of our limitations are in place because of space. We just don't have the room to allow more students, but I don't ever set a limit. If they want to jam 40 students in a 10x10 space, go for it (and trust me, they try). Other times, the kids will come, see its crammed and come back later.

How was your makerspace funded? Grants? PTO? Fundraisers? If it came out of your budget, how did you budget for the "newest" tools over a year in advance? How did you budget for consumables (i.e. yarn, duct tape)?

I'm really proud of how we've managed to add thousands of dollars worth of maker materials without breaking the bank. Most of our maker materials were provided through donations, fundraisers, and grants.

To date, we have had 3 successful Donors Choose projects, two PTO grants funded, received numerous donations from parents and staff members. We are also very creative in repurposing. Our tech department donates old technology that we strip for parts. Even those really old cell phones have vibration motors that can be used for bristle bots!

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When I was starting our makerspace, I did as much research as I could on existing school library makerspaces. And although some bloggers are awesome at posting specific about specific activities and resources to buy, I needed the big picture. I needed answers to a lot of basic questions before I could get into the nitty-gritty.

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In the article Defining Makerspaces published in Renovatedlearning.com by Dianna Rendina, she defines makerspaces and tells how they effect people, she does this by utilizing pathos Ultimately, they are motivating the reader to look more into makerspaces and how they can be installed anywhere.

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Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with criticism. I was told (not to my face) by a visitor to our school that our library makerspace is not a "real makerspace". This same person stated that our woodshop is a "real makerspace" because it has power tools. She suggested that I "do some research" on what makerspaces actually are.

Feeling personally insulted aside, what bothers me most about this statement is the concept that some makerspaces are more valid than others and that a makerspace is solely defined by the tools it contains. I do agree that our woodshop is a makerspace, even though we don't call it that. Our woodshop is awesome, and I'm so glad that we have a space where students can learn how to use saws, drills and other tools to build awesome projects as part of their curriculum. Yes, that is a makerspace.

But is my space any less of a makerspace simply because it doesn't have power tools? Because it doesn't have a 3D printer? Because my students build with LEGOs, K'nex and cardboard?

Defining Makerspaces

All of this got me thinking about how we define "makerspace". So I did what librarians do best: I researched. I gathered together my books on makerspaces, I searched our databases for articles, and I crowdsourced the amazing hive mind of Twitter.

For the record, here's my own definition of a school Makerspace:

A makerspace is a place where students can gather to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using a variety of tools and materials.

A makerspace can be anything from a repurposed bookcart filled with arts and crafts supplies to a table in a corner set out with LEGOs to a full blown fab lab with 3D printers, laser cutters, and handtools. No two school makerspaces are exactly alike, nor should they be. Makerspaces are as unique as the school cultures they represent. There is no such thing as one form of making being more valid or better than the other. Makers are artists, crafters, knitters, seamstresses, builders, programmers, engineers, hackers, painters, woodworkers, tinkerers, inventors, bakers, graphic designers and more.

A #makerspace is a place where kids gather to create, invent, tinker, explore & discover. Click To Tweet

What the Research Says About Makerspaces

Here's where my research led me:

I like this definition from Samatha Roslund's book Makerspaces. I see three important elements to this definition: Place... people... make things. While different possible foci are mentioned, this definition does not limit a Makerspace to a particular set of tools. It's about a place, about a community. Another similar quote comes from the Educause Learning Initiative article, 7 Things You Should Know About Makerspaces:

"A makerspace is a physical location where people gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build."

Makerspaces are not about the tools; they're about enabling making.

More on Makerspaces

"... [A] space where kids have the opportunity to make - a place where some tools, materials, and enough expertise can get them started. These places, called makerspaces, share some aspects of the shop class, home economics class, the art studio and science labs. In effect, a makerspace is a physical mash-up of different places that allows makers and projects to integrate these different kinds of skills." Dale Dougherty, The Maker Mindset, in Design, Make, Play

"Even if you don't have access to expensive... hardware, every classroom can become a makerspace where kids and teachers learn together through direct experience with an assortment of high and low tech materials." ~ Gary Stager and Sylvia Martinez in Invent to Learn

"A Makerspace is a metaphor for a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play and open-ended exploration for all" ~Laura Fleming, author of Worlds of Making

Making, Creativity, and Design

"What do you do in a makerspace? The simple answer is you make things. Things that you are curious about. Things that spring from your imagination... that inspire you and things that you admire. The informal, playful atmosphere allows learning to unfold, rather than conform to a rigid agenda. Making, rather than consuming is the focus. It is craft, engineering, technology and wonder-driven." Thinkers and Tinkerers

"The most important quality of a makerspace is that it encourages creativity. This can be done with a space full of hand tools, materials, and finished projects. The culture in a space should support the idea that anything is possible." 3 Key Qualities for a School Makerspace

"Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering." Jennifer Cooper, Designing a School Makerspace (Edutopia)

"Makerspaces are collaborative learning environments where people come together to share materials and learn new skills... [they] are not necessarily born out of a specific set of materials or spaces, but rather a mindset of community partnership, collaboration, and creation." Library as incubator project

(Emphasis in quotes is mine)

The video above is really long by internet standards. But you should at least watch the first few minutes, where students share what their makerspace means to them.

Read up more on Makerspaces

(Note: post contains affiliate links. Actions taken may result in commissions for Renovated Learning)

Diana Rendina, MLIS, is the media specialist at Tampa Preparatory School, an independent 6-12 in Tampa, FL. Previously, she was the media specialist at Stewart Middle Magnet School for seven years, where she founded their library makerspace. She is the creator of the blog RenovatedLearning.com. She was a monthly contributor to AASL Knowledge Quest from 2015-2018. Diana is the winner of the 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award, the 2015 ISTE Librarians Network Secondary Award, the 2015 AASL Frances Henne Award & the 2015 SLJ Build Something Bold Award. She is an international speaker on the Maker Movement and has presented at conferences including AASL, FETC & ISTE. Diana co-authored Challenge-Based Learning in the School Library Makerspace with Colleen and Aaron Graves and is also the author Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget.

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Defining Makerspaces: What the Research Says

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Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with criticism. I was told (not to my face) by a visitor to our school that our library makerspace is not a "real makerspace". This same person stated that our woodshop is a "real makerspace" because it has power tools.

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In the article What Are They? published in weebly.com by Sharona Ginsberg she states the pros and cons of a 3D Makerspace in libraries & schools, she does this through blog posts and facts about 3D printers Ultimately, she is trying to simply show the good and bad of the makerspace, she uses ethos and logos and her overall idea is the makerspace.

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"There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015."

What is a makerspace? You've no doubt been hearing that word more than a few times over the past several years. Makerspaces, also called hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs, are collaborative spaces where people gather to get creative with DIY projects, invent new ones, and share ideas. Since the first official makerspace convened six years ago in a library in upstate New York, libraries have remained an ideal setting for makerspace events across the country. Many offer community resources like 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies, and more. The idea of a communal creative space has only gained momentum and become increasingly popular over the years, and the makers' movement shows no signs of slowing down.

There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015. The White House even held its own inaugural Maker Faire in 2014, inspiring President Obama to declare an official National Week of Making the following year. Read on to learn more about library makerspaces and how one might benefit your community.

Articles & Blog Posts on Makerspaces

1.) Library as Makerspace
The Library as Makerspace blog, run by the Duxbury Free Library in Massachusetts, shares the experiences of its librarians in the process of transitioning from a content collection-only facility to a content creation-inspired makerspace. Bloggers share ideas for makerspace programs for children, teens, and adults, with a goal of "reimagining our role in a rapidly changing world."

2.) Renovated Learning
Curated by Diana Rendina, media specialist, teacher, and librarian at Stewart Middle Magnet School in Tampa, Florida, this blog documents Diana's journey of starting a STEM-based makerspace at her own school's library from the ground up. Posts include lessons and reflections on her own experience as well as resources for other makerspace hosts, including a "start here" section for beginners.

3.) The Makerspace in the Library: What it Means for Your Classroom
This recent post on a blog titled "The Unquiet Mind" explores the author's first experience attending the National Writing Project Annual Meeting in 2017; this year, the NWP panel discussed growing interest in makerspaces at libraries and their implications for teachers, library staff, and the learning process as a whole.

4.) A Librarian's Guide to OER in the Maker Space
This article, written by library media specialist and author Laura Fleming, introduces librarians and educators to the open educational resources (OER) movement, and focuses on how to integrate STEM-oriented makerspaces and other disciplines into the traditional learning space.

5.) Growing Learning Communities Through School Libraries and Makerspaces-Creating, Constructing, Collaborating, Contributing
Another informative post on "The Unquiet Mind," this article served as one of the site's first comprehensive guides to makerspaces, exploring a variety of possibilities for creating a collaborative learning environment at locations across the U.S. The post accompanies a presentation about makerspaces given by the author to the Independent School Library Exchange of Southern California.

6.) Library Friday: Visiting Fayetteville Free Library
Here on INFOSPACE, the official blog of the Syracuse University iSchool, blogger and master's candidate in library and information science Kayla Del Biondo, explores one of the country's leading university makerspaces at the Fayetteville Free Library as part of her Library Friday Series.

7.) Make it Work! Starting a Makerspace in an Academic Library, Phase 1
Among many authoritative posts on ACRLog.com, a blog site exclusively by and for academic and research librarians, this post outlines a multi-phase process for creating a makerspace at the grassroots level, addressing crucial concerns for working librarians. Hannah Pope, guest author of this article, is the Emerging Technologies Librarian at Appalachian State University.

8.) Biohackerspace, DIYbio, and Libraries
Posted on the ACRL TechConnect Blog, this article explores projects at makerspaces across the country focused on developing science, technology, and engineering programs that can essentially turn any library into a makeshift biology lab.

9.) Making It in the Academic World
This post on American Libraries focuses specifically on makerspaces at university libraries in the U.S. Author Bailey Brewer makes the case that, while makerspaces are known for bringing 3D technology to the masses, the potential for a greater sense of community among college-age participants will likely carry makerspaces into the future.

10. ) It all started with a training offered by the Washington State Libraryâ€¦
Part of the "Between the Lines" series of the Washington State Library Blog, this post describes one library manager's first encounter with STEM-based makerspace programming. Her subsequent initiatives to develop ongoing maker events, especially for children, take place at Winlock Library in Timberland, WA.

11.) 4 San Francisco Projects Highlighted During the National Week of Making
This post outlines four of San Francisco's most innovative makerspace programs, celebrated during the National Week of Making in 2016 in an event co-sponsored by the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

12.) Makerspace Starter Kit
Noted blogger, international Ed Tech keynote speaker, and Google Certified Innovator Gwyneth Jones offers a starter kit to aspiring makerspace hosts through her site, The Daring Librarian. For inspiration, among many resources available on the site is the story of the makerspace at Murray Hill Middle School in Maryland, where Jones helped to launch a collaborative project space more than 18 years ago.

Maker Faire

Touted as the "greatest show and tell on earth," Maker Faire has emerged as the official international celebration of not only creativity, resourcefulness, and innovation but also a mass gathering of the maker movement at large. Each year, Maker Faire hosts multi-day flagship faires in Chicago, New York, and the Bay Area, as well as ongoing regional events, mini faires and school faires around the world. The organization is perhaps the most well-known makerspace networking resource, having established its own "Maker Shed" tools and products, a "Maker Camp" online community and a "Make" magazine for subscribers. The official Maker Faire site also offers aspiring Makers resources and support for bringing a Maker Faire to their local community, starting their own makerspace or becoming a sponsor of the maker movement.

Makerspaces Directories

1.) MakerDirectory.com
This online directory lists national and international maker events, from the Adelaide Mini Maker Faire to the World Maker Faire in New York City.

2.) Hackerspaces
This directory lists national and international events and offers resources specific to hackerspaces, enabling the tech-maker community to make connections both in-person and online.

3.) Maker Faire
Perhaps the most comprehensive of maker directories, Maker Faire offers an interactive map listing upcoming national and international maker faires, mini maker faires, and school faires; aspiring makers can also search past events by region on the site.

4.) Makerspace
This membership site requires registration to connect with other makers; once signed in, members are encouraged to exchange makerspace projects and ideas. The link above to the site's BETA login page is expected to be redirected to a new platform in 2017.

Revitalizing Community Spaces

"Makerspaces have also led to growth in other industries: crowdfunding sites funded more than $5 billion worth of projects in 2014, and the 3D printing industry is expected to be worth $8 billion as early as the year 2020."

One could argue that the phenomenon of makerspaces has led to a revitalization and reimagining of libraries in a digital world. As the means of circulating and accessing digital information outside of libraries continue to grow, this renaissance for the library as a place to gather, create, and collaborate has led to benefits for the host facilities just as much, if not more, than participants. Like book clubs, workshops, and other group meetings, hosting a makerspace alongside traditional offerings in a library is fast becoming the hands-on approach to learning and developing new skills. Many libraries at colleges and universities have incorporated program-specific makerspaces into their campus curriculum, bringing students together around a topic such as robotics or a particular fine art technique.

If increased support and funding for makerspaces are any indication, this trend-turned-movement is here to stay. The University of Texas in Austin is an example of a school that turned a makeshift project into a lucrative institutional endeavor by expanding its makerspace into a program called the Foundry. Hosted by the university's Fine Arts Library, the Foundry was created in 2015 through a $200,000 grant from the Hearst Foundation, which recognized the potential for cross-disciplinary research, art, and invention in a permanent makerspace on campus. Makerspaces have also led to growth in other industries: crowdfunding sites funded more than $5 billion worth of projects in 2014, and the 3D printing industry is expected to be worth $8 billion as early as the year 2020.

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A Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources | OEDB.org

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"There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015." What is a makerspace? You've no doubt been hearing that word more than a few times over the past several years.

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In the article A Librarians guide to makerspaces, published in oedb.org by Ellyssa Kroski, she promotes makerspaces in libraries and schools, she does this by showing a plethora of blog posts to support her claims Ultimately, they are informing people of what other bloggers and dregs of the internet have to say about the idea of a 3D makerspace.

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Libraries & Maker Culture: A Resource Guide

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Makerspaces--also sometimes called hackerspaces--can be any area where people gather to make and create. These spaces often include 3D printers, but do not necessarily have to. In makerspaces, people...

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In the article Creating Makerspaces in schools, published on edutopia.org by Mary Beth Hertz she works with 3D makerspaces and show how they work, she interviews some of the kids participating Ultimately, they are motivating the reader to try out a makerspace and see for themselves how great it is.

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Two weekends ago, I attended EdCamp NYC at The School at Columbia, an independent school on Manhattan's Upper West Side. One of the things I love about attending edcamps is that the day is always unpredictable because you don't know what will be discussed or who will be leading conversations until that morning. What ensued was an inspiring day focused on tinkering, exploration and innovation.

A Day of Play and Exploration

The day began with a discussion led by Don Buckley, The School's Director of Technology and Innovation, focused on design thinking in schools. Buckley used projects completed at The School to illustrate the various stages of design thinking, which include defining a problem, researching and creating a solution and a prototype, and implementing the solution.

Following this, my colleagues and I ran a session entitled "Programming with Food," during which the four of us set up our new MakeyMakeys along with Play-Doh and various types of food ranging from tomatoes and grapes to potatoes and orange peels, to show how students can manipulate existing programs and websites using the MakeyMakey board and conductive materials -- or build their own to manipulate in Scratch. We spent an hour watching amazing videos of what others have created using the boards, practicing some programming in Scratch and then playing with the boards and the cornucopia of food one of my colleagues brought along.

The day ended with a session on 3D printing run by Don Buckley and Jaymes Dec. The most important takeaways from this session were that 3D design doesn't require a printer, that the design process is way more important than the printing, and that 3D printing is WAY harder than it looks (and WAY cool).

Design thinking, tinkering and exploring, designing and creating . . .

These are the essence of the many Makerspaces (also called Hackerspaces and similar to FabLabs) that have been popping up in cities across the country. These spaces are built by both young people and by adults, and more often than not, they provide a workspace playground for adults. Due to their success as an innovative approach to learning, many educators are trying to bring the concept into schools.

Why Makerspaces?

We are constantly bombarded with the idea that the U.S. is "behind" the rest of the world in STEM education, that our students need to be able to think critically, problem-solve and collaborate in order to succeed in the future they will inhabit. (Forget the fact that critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration are part of what schools should be designed to support in the first place.) Makerspaces provide creative time and, well, space for people of all ages to build prototypes, explore questions, fail and retry, bounce ideas off one another and build something together. These spaces don't always include technology, since some prototypes and designs can be built out of anything or may include various stages of design that move from analog to digital and back again, but many do include technology. In the 3D printing and design thinking session, I was lucky enough to see how students might create a 3D design using CAD software, only to discover that their scale was off or that their prototype just plain won't work.

Bringing Makerspaces into Schools

So the big question is: how do we bring these kinds of workspaces into schools so that every child has access to a safe, creative space for exploration?

There are a few different kinds of attempts being made at various schools. Some are creating ad hoc spaces by transforming existing spaces into after-school makerspaces through the use of tubs and other storage containers. This way, materials can be stored away during the school day.

Other schools are integrating aspects of design thinking and playfulness into the curriculum, providing time during the day or during a unit for this kind of free exploration.

Some are bringing makerspaces inside the school walls by creating electives or other special classes dedicated to creative exploration.

Many schools and community groups have used grant money and/or community support to fund the technology, tools and materials used in their makerspaces. Often, local businesses and tech companies are more than happy to contribute to what they consider the engagement and training of future employees.

More on Makerspaces

Here are a few resources to get you started:

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Creating Makerspaces in Schools | Edutopia

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Two weekends ago, I attended EdCamp NYC at The School at Columbia, an independent school on Manhattan's Upper West Side. One of the things I love about attending edcamps is that the day is always unpredictable because you don't know what will be discussed or who will be leading conversations until that morning.