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The design of early childhood makerspaces to support positive technological development

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The design of early childhood makerspaces to support positive technological development

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Wonderful research. It includes de PTD framework explained.

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The design of early childhood makerspaces

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Inspire, Learn, Drive, Thrive. Idea Book

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Inspire, Learn, Drive, Thrive. Idea Book

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An approach to defining and designing the right space for your school.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Cooper

Makerspaces, STEAM labs, and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.

A makerspace is not solely a science lab, woodshop, computer lab or art room, but it may contain elements found in all of these familiar spaces. Therefore, it must be designed to accommodate a wide range of activities, tools and materials. Diversity and cross-pollination of activities are critical to the design, making and exploration process, and they are what set makerspaces and STEAM labs apart from single-use spaces. A possible range of activities might include:

Cardboard construction

Prototyping

Woodworking

Electronics

Robotics

Digital fabrication

Building bicycles and kinetic machines

Textiles and sewing

Designing a space to accommodate such a wide range of activities is a challenging process. Educators and administrators can help guide the process and generate the space that works best by researching, brainstorming and clearly articulating their needs, while keeping in mind inevitable changes in the future.

Some schools have chosen to incorporate makerspaces within multiple classroom spaces. This works well for many activities, particularly in elementary schools. As maker activities expand to require more tools, it makes more sense to create a dedicated makerspace that includes appropriate tools, work areas and materials. The following design approach focuses on creating dedicated makerspaces and STEAM labs.

Ask the Right Questions

Because of the constantly evolving activities that a makerspace accommodates, a flexible design is critical from the outset. Therefore, the first moves should be the right moves to result in a space that's as usable as possible. Project leads must ask critical inquiring questions to guide and inform the design process.

What range of subjects will be taught in the space? What types of activities and projects could be done there? Determine the needs and desires of all teachers in the school who will or could possibly use the space. Imagine what projects they might initiate with their students. Ideally a science, math, technology and/or art teacher would lead or participate in the brainstorming. The Makerspace Playbook is a helpful guide to envisioning the projects and activities that could happen in the makerspace. The new book Invent to Learn is a great resource for making, tinkering and engineering project ideas. The main point here is to clarify the types of activities that the space would ideally accommodate.

Which tools are most needed? Will digital fabrication tools such as CNC routers, laser cutters or 3D printers be included? Which materials will be used? The Makerspace Playbook and Makerspace's Tools & Materials PDF document are both very useful tools for addressing these questions. They provide detailed lists of the diverse tools and materials that you might consider. Many types of equipment have special requirements, including ventilation and other elements to ensure a safe working environment. The list of tools and materials will naturally grow as specific projects and programs generate new needs, so it's good to allow for flexibility and expansion. Depending on the projects and activities, the space required for materials and project storage can be significant.

Who are the kids that will be using the space? Will others use the space as well? Who is staffing and managing the space? Having a space that is functional for a range of ages is key in school settings. Additionally, the space might be used for maker activities outside of class time, such as clubs (like Young Makers groups) or parent groups, as makerspaces grow into popular community hubs. At some point, the school may hire a part- or full-time makerspace teacher. In fact, some see this as critical from the outset.

When will the space be used? Students will use the space during the school day, perhaps in a dedicated class time or with their teacher. Other opportunities may arise to maximize utility of the space after school or evenings and weekends. In this case, the design would need to accommodate access outside of school hours and for multiple users.

Where in the school or on the campus would be ideal? What considerations are important? To accommodate the need for access to materials and tools, it's useful for the space to be easily accessible by cars and trucks, ideally during school day. A location close to or including outdoor work areas allows for larger or messier projects. Access to plumbing and electricity are critical. The space should be located where noise won't disturb classroom learning. Given the need for flexibility, it's good to find a place where the space could expand in the future. Finally, the makerspace would be centrally located so that it can be accessible to students, and visible so that work can be seen.

How will it be built? Is a new or separate structure needed, and if so what type? What is the budget? Will the design and construction team be a combination of contractor and volunteers, all-volunteer or fully contracted?

If you're lucky, there is a large space, classroom or portable just waiting for a new use, and building out the interior will be the main project. If space is at a premium, however, a new structure, portable or shipping container could potentially provide the space or some portion of it. Knowing your budget range will help determine the best way to proceed and whether you'll be able to employ contractors or need volunteers for some of the work.

Going Forward

Answering these questions will allow schools to create a design program for their makerspace, defining the specific needs and requirements. Because makerspaces and the activities they accommodate can vary so much, the design program is one of the most critical steps in ensuring the space will be functional and well used. The school could work with designers or architects to articulate the best ways of meeting those needs. Visits to other makerspaces or labs can be valuable and insightful during this phase, as educators envision what their space could be. A subsequent blog post will provide more information about design patterns typically found in makerspaces.

Resources

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An approach to defining and designing the right space for your school. Photo Credit: Jennifer Cooper Makerspaces, STEAM labs, and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.

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Makerspace in Preschool-It’s Not Just for Big Kids!

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Makerspace in Preschool-It’s Not Just for Big Kids!

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MAKERSPACE: a place where we gather tools and materials to create, invent, tinker, design, fabricate or otherwise enable individuals, a community or group to make something.

It is NOT defined by one certain shape, size or even having a specific tool like a 3D printer or laser cutter. This is a common misconception...no fancy power tools are needed! Essentially, it reminds me of what well studied early childhood educators have always laid out for their pre-k children in their Early Learning programs. In some classrooms or Family Child Care Homes/Centers, it may have been called the, "Tinkering Area", the "Sewing Center " or a "Pop-up Play Area", filled with cardboard boxes and tape.

Children are natural makers, andEarly Childhood teachers and caregivers have been providing opportunities to create, engineer and fabricate since before it was officially labeled as a "makerspace" (This label is also due to it's recent popularity in the upper grades and youth programs).

The National Association for the Education of Young Children ( NAEYC) provides Early Childhood Educators with developmentally appropriate ideas and guides on how to continue to enhance and create makerspaces in their programs.

Early Childhood Educators incorporate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) components into curriculum that not only are age-appropriate for young learners, but also meaningful and still meet Early Learning Standards.

Want some inspiration? Check this out:

This preschool classroom was highlighted in NAEYC's Resources blog, Making, Tinkering and the Toy Store Project (Another awesome resource is Making and Tinkering with STEM by Cate Heroman).

As you can see in the above image, a makerspace does not have to be expensive OR (as noted previously) have large power tools for it to meet the makerspace criteria. You want it to be child-led and for the play to be open-ended to allow children to go deep in their learning. It can start with an old keyboard, electronic calculator or other old technology that doesn't hold electricity (avoid TV's).

"A makerspace is a metaphor for a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play and open-ended exploration for all."

~Laura Fleming, author, Worlds of Making

While there is no requirement to have large expensive equipment for a makerspace, there are a couple of basic suggested materials and tools which I recommend to get you started. We want to provide children with a basic array of materials that provide a foundation for their inquiry and "maker" process. Many of these you can even ask parents to start collecting for you! Or check out your local thrift store (or for Arizona educators, I highly recommend teacher stores like, Treasures for Teachers where they collect donated items from businesses and do the sorting and cleaning of materials for you and make available for purchase at a ridiculously low cost!)

Suggested materials may include:

cardboard boxes (variety of sizes)

empty tissue boxes

paper towel rolls

variety of caps (soda caps, water bottle caps)

plastic silo cups

manual hand-drill

miscellaneous pieces of wood (check out your local hardware store for wood straps and have the kids hand-sand them for you...that's a whole other center too! )

tape (masking tape, painters tape, lots of tape!)

clipboards, blank paper, writing tool (you always want to have opportunities for children to practice their writing as well as observational drawings, but don't forget the option for sketching out a draft design idea)

cutting tools such as scissors depending on child's skill level

ribbon

buttons

markers

low-temp glue gun and glue sticks

miscellaneous decorative craft items for embellishments

nuts, bolts, screws, scrap wire, metal pieces

foil

empty plastic containers (cottage cheese, butter, yogurt)

cereal boxes

popsicle sticks

computer keyboards, toddler toys (to deconstruct), large old calculators (Make sure you have small sorting trays to sort all the parts for later use. This activity alone of sorting by attributes is a nice learning opportunity too)

Another point that I encountered during my research was the excuse by administrators to not provide funding for the "bigger" materials or larger equipment for classrooms since teachers can often be resourceful. I disagree with this thinking and believe it is important to adequately FUND these projects and our kids' classrooms. We should also expose children who are developmentally ready to use bigger tools or equipment (with adult assistance of course) when it comes to these scaffolded opportunities. Having access to more expensive Makerspace equipment helps young children with exposure to tools they will use later on in upper grades.

You can learn more about why teachers should have access to those bigger tools and equipment here. One cool example is an electric cardboard cutter (shown below)...

"Your makerspace should have the tools that enable the learning experiences that you have designed for your students."

-Diana Rendina

Your makerspace area(s) are spaces that have materials that are intentionally placed for making. It's not a free-for-all. The introduction of materials and the space should be done in a small group discussion with your students that includes demonstration on how to properly use and care for the materials (circle time works great for this!).

Communication

Creativity and Innovation

Curiosity

Collaboration

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Community & Contribution

This may be a popular area too. Be prepared to help children decide, "how many kids can be in this space and safely use the materials?" In my work with Alesi Group, we suggest "wait lists" by popular learning areas so children can "write" their name down for their turn.

You should also consider how the space is addressing 21st-century skills:

Notice how I haven't even mentioned technology yet?
For more inspiration and if you're in the local Phoenix Metro area, check out

LET THEM BUILD! CREATING ZEN-TASTIC MAKER SPACE OPPORTUNITIES WHILE STAYING ON A BUDGET CREATE at the Arizona Science Center. They also provide a discount membership rate for teachers, but the Commons Makerspace areas are FREE to play in!
This doesn't mean that technology use in preschool children is not important or shouldn't be used. It actually means that it's used as a SUPPLEMENT to extend the learning. It's sprinkled in and isn't REQUIRED to be a part of the experience. When we do use tech with young children, it may be an iPad at the makerspace area for picture taking, classmates taking a video of their creation to report back with, or creating an iMovie. The point is that it's very strategic.

When we allow young children to have these creative, open-ended makerspace experiences, we are enabling them to develop foundational skills for future careers in hardware or software architecting and development, engineering, coding and so many other tech fields!

I'll be presenting a workshop at the upcoming ASCC Celebrate Conference in March for our Spanish speaking early childhood providers. The session is called:

Description: Explore multi-sensory experiences that help preschool children expand their building, creating and making skills while supporting the development of early learning skills... on a budget!

The content will be in SPANISH for those interested, click the link to check it out and register to attend!

Let the kids MAKE!

I invite you to follow my Early Childhood Journeys Twitter or Facebook page for more posts and resources or check out the Early Childhood Journeys podcast and website!

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Makerspace in Preschool-It's Not Just for Big Kids!

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MAKERSPACE: a place where we gather tools and materials to create, invent, tinker, design, fabricate or otherwise enable individuals, a community or group to make something. It is NOT defined by one certain shape, size or even having a specific tool like a 3D printer or laser cutter.

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Makerspaces in the Early Years: A Literature Review

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Makerspaces in the Early Years: A Literature Review

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Supplies and Services to Build the Perfect Makerspace (Ideas from a website that sells it all!)

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Supplies and Services to Build the Perfect Makerspace (Ideas from a website that sells it all!)

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classroom supplies and school furniture from school specialty

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School Supplies, Classroom Supplies and School Furniture from School Specialty

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School Supplies, Classroom Supplies and School Furniture from School Specialty

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27 Makerspace Materials & Supplies - Makerspaces.com

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What makerspace materials and supplies should you buy or stock for your hands-on learning lab? There are a lot of options out there to choose from and it can be confusing when you're first starting out as a maker educator.

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Resources for Maker Education - Compilation by Edutopia

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Resources for Maker Education - Compilation by Edutopia

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The Maker Movement: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants to Own the Future: To better make the case for making, learn about the maker movement's pedagogical roots. (Edutopia, 2014)

How the Maker Movement Is Moving Into Classrooms: Get familiar with maker terminology and trends: Maker Faires, fab labs, hackerspaces, makerspaces, and more. (Edutopia, 2014)

How the Maker Movement Connects Students to Engineering and Tech: Watch a video to see how one eighth grade student uses his passion for electronics to teach fellow students about 3D printing, Arduinos, and other hands-on lessons in STEM skills. (Edutopia, 2014)

Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs and Makerspaces: In this free online book, the Stanford University FabLearn Fellows take you on a tour of making and digital fabrication in education; explore project ideas, articles, best practices, and assessment strategies. (FabLearn, 2016)

Dive Into the Maker Movement: Accompany an educator on a visit to the fab lab at New York City's Marymount School to learn more about how the maker movement is making its way into schools. (Edutopia, 2013)

Trees of Knowledge: Learn how one teacher creates learning landscapes with materials, tools, and projects to enable curiosity to take root and knowledge to grow. (Edutopia, 2014)

Research Roundup, Some Studies on Making and Learning: Explore the research supporting the case for making in education. (Makerspace)

Getting Started With Making in Schools

Make the Most of the Maker Movement: Take a look at five suggestions for early adopters of maker approaches in schools. (Edutopia, 2014)

Middle School Maker Journey: Top 20 Technologies and Tools: Examine a list of 20 great tools that can help facilitate great projects and experiences in your makerspace. This post is fifth in a series describing one middle school educator's year-long journey with making -- read all the other posts to learn more about his journey. (Edutopia, 2015)

Supporting Maker Education District-Wide: Review critical components to consider in order to effectively implement maker education within a school district. (Edutopia, 2015)

Maker Education Resources: Explore lesson plans, tools, and tips on integrating maker education in the classroom. (Sonoma County Office of Education)

MakerEd's Resource Library: Browse a library full of resources on everything maker: project ideas, assessment tools, makerspace design tips, and professional development tools. (Maker Ed)

A Blueprint: Maker Programs for Youth: Download a PDF guide on how to design and implement a maker program in your school, community, or just about anywhere. (New York Hall of Science)

What's Next for Maker Education: Find information, resources, and professional-development opportunities in this online guide, including Edsurge's recent coverage on funding and building a makerspace, creating more equitable maker communities, expert tips, Maker Faire, and more. An earlier guide on "How to Build a Maker Community" is also worth a view. (Edsurge, 2016)

Launching School Makerspaces

Building Maker Mindsets and Culture

Designing Classroom Makerspaces for Transformative Learning: Discover how integrating maker culture into curriculum can transform how learning happens in schools. (Edutopia, 2013)

Capture the Learning: Crafting the Maker Mindset: Review a few simple steps for incorporating a maker mindset into how you plan classroom activities. (Edutopia, 2014)

Creating an Authentic Maker Education Rubric: Download a three-part rubric to guide students through process, understanding, and product. An editable version is also available. (Edutopia, 2015)

Design Thinking, Making, and Learning From the Heart: To better understand how to incorporate design thinking into maker education, learn how students engaged their senses and empathy through a WWI memorial project. (Edutopia, 2015)

How Maker Culture Builds Stronger Learning Communities: Learn about an innovative youth leadership program called Public Workshop and how they partnered with high school students to remake their environment. (Edutopia, 2015)

Selecting Maker Tools and Projects

Reaching All Makers

'Diversity Does Not Happen By Accident' and Other Lessons About Equity in the Maker Movement: Explore takeaways from a panel of researchers and practitioners on equity and making, organized by the Stanford School of Education. (Edsurge, 2016)

The New Face of STEAM: See how one school implements culturally responsive instruction in their STEAM Lab, a space that is part makerspace, part artists' studio, and part fabrication laboratory. (Edutopia, 2016)

Encouraging Neurodiversity in Your Makerspace or Classroom: Learn how students with neurological differences bring unique qualities of focus, nonlinear thinking, recall, and brainstorming enthusiasm to a makerspace or classroom. (Edutopia, 2016)

Design Challenge: DIY Assistive Game Controllers: Consider using tools like Makey Makey to transform game controllers into devices that students of any ability can enjoy. (Edutopia, 2014)

Makerspaces for Students With Special Needs: Discover how students with special needs and neurological differences can benefit from the hands-on process, experimental nature, and visible results of maker education. (Edutopia, 2014)

Maker Movement: Bridging the Gap Between Girls and STEM: Find out how girls at the Ellis School are empowered to identify for themselves what personal and community challenges they want to address through making. (ISTE, 2014)

Examples From Schools That Work

Edutopia's flagship series highlights practices and case studies from K-12 schools and districts that are improving the way students learn. Below, dive into real-world examples of maker education in practice.

At Albemarle County Public Schools, maker education fosters student autonomy, ignites student interest, and empowers students to embrace their own learning.

A Student Maker and the Birth of a Startup: Read one student's account of how he responded to a summer maker challenge and ended up demonstrating his sports training product prototype at a White House tech innovation fair.

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Resources for Maker Education | Edutopia

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The Maker Movement: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants to Own the Future: To better make the case for making, learn about the maker movement's pedagogical roots. (Edutopia, 2014) How the Maker Movement Is Moving Into Classrooms: Get familiar with maker terminology and trends: Maker Faires, fab labs, hackerspaces, makerspaces, and more.

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Schoolyard Blog | Teacher Resources | School Specialty

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Early Childhood Ginny Streckewald *

Those of us who work with the youngest learners (ages 0 through 8) have lots of buzz words to describe best practice in our early childhood classrooms. One of the terms that has been creating a great deal of attention in education circles of late, has been the concept of makerspaces.

Does a Makerspace Belong in an Early Childhood Classroom?

Perhaps, as an early childhood educator, you may equate this term with 3D printers and power tools so it goes in the "Not for Me" box. Let's take another look at what exactly happens in makerspaces and how that might translate into a world far removed from robotics and CAD designs.

What exactly is a makerspace? It is a space where children are provided with materials to work together to complete a task. Innovation, problem solving, and cooperation all describe what happens in a makerspace. The process of experimenting and building a solution to a problem can occur with such low-tech materials as recycled boxes and paper towel rolls or building bricks and other manipulatives. Making is a way of bringing engineering to young learners within concrete experiences that help build an understanding of abstract science and math concepts.

This concept of experimentation with hands-on learning materials is far from new. Learning centers and project based curriculum play an important part in early childhood classrooms around the world. The thinking behind the maker movement overlaps with a young child's need to learn through manipulating objects and engaging their senses as espoused by such great minds as Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget.

Building an Early Childhood Makerspace

Providing the "stuff" is only part of helping to develop the problem-solving skills of tomorrow's inventors and scientists through makerspaces. Encouraging deep thinking includes giving students time to brainstorm, invent, design and build...and helping them to fix mistakes, test, and improve while making sure not to overstep and rob them of learning through mistakes.
Building a Makerspace that Fits Your Makers
If you'd like to learn more about what makes a Makerspace, and how you can encourage the "maker" in all of your students, check out the makerspace blogs on our site.

Ginny Streckewald

Ginny Streckewald, M. Ed., holds a Masters' degree in Specialty Education focusing on Early Intervention. She has over 35 years of inclusive teaching experience with young children, and has worked closely with premature and developmentally delayed infants and toddlers. Read more posts by Ginny Streckewald ->

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Those of us who work with the youngest learners (ages 0 through 8) have lots of buzz words to describe best practice in our early childhood classrooms. One of the terms that has been creating a great deal of attention in education circles of late, has been the concept of makerspaces.