Make things happen with Makerspaces
Edutopia recently published an informative article; 4 Tips to Transform Your Learning Space. The tips are suggestions from librarians and educators who have transformed their learning spaces. We are exploring the tips in a series of posts. We covered Agile Learning Spaces in our first post. And we looked at Inviting Spaces in the second. In this post, we want to examine tip number three, Makerspaces in schools.
Build Something
In the article, Edutopia makes this point:
When students have the opportunity to construct their own understanding, they engage in more meaningful learning. So in transforming your library or any other learning space, think about providing opportunities for all students to invent, tinker, create, and learn.
A makerspace is all about freedom. Freedom of movement and ideas to be exact. So you want simple furniture that is mobile, functional and open. This lets creativity have its way. Nesting tables and chairs with casters allow reconfiguration for whatever the day’s lesson brings.
Makerspaces often involve portable mechanical and electronic equipment. Again, simple mobile tables can be configured to support the tools students will use from day to day. And do so in a safe and secure manner. They can be combined to make large flat areas for ideation and design sessions. Or they can stand alone to safely host tools like 3D printers that need to be near outlets.
Clear view cabinets make it easy to find materials and safely store them when they are not it use. And mobile security carts are great for tablets and laptops.
How to get there
Replacing your traditional education furniture and repurposing your space over time is the best way to turn your learning spaces into makerspaces. It is a smart investment in your facility and your students.