Written by Verna Grant
What is a makerspace? It is a place that supports the maker
movement, which in turn is about hands-on learning by building things. It is a
place to create, collaborate, and learn (Kurti, Kurti, & Flemming, 2014).
Makerspaces can be as simple as making crafts and offering design challenges
with materials that are on hand or as elaborate as using technology to code,
make movies, create robots, or try out 3-D printing. It all depends on the
materials and funding available for each space.
Makerspaces can be an ideal setting to place in a school
library. Both are informal learning environments and have open spaces for
people to work individually or in groups. It is a central area to create a community
for the whole school, while providing materials such as references, computers,
and printers (Weisgrau, 2015).
The school library staff can play an integral part in
makerspaces, besides just providing the space and materials. It can also be an
opportunity to collaborate with teachers on activities and workshops that
coincide with what the students are learning. Time could be provided for
students to come in and work where staff would be available for assistance. Appropriate
reference books could be added to the library, such as the books
recommended by the School Library Journal. For elementary schools, staff
can read stories aloud to students that encourage the same type of thinking and
learning as makerspaces.
For example, reading the book Rosie Revere, Engineer by
Andrea Beaty.
The goal of makerspaces in the school library, is to teach
students to learn by doing. By working individually and collaboratively,
students have the opportunity to learn not just from the project but also from
each other. It also give students the opportunity to teach others what they
have learned in the process. It also encourages students to be engaged and use
creative thinking to complete their projects.
This video with Sir Ken Robinson talks about creativity in
education. His points coincide with the philosophy of makerspaces.
Makerspaces can be an ideal place for students to grow,
and school libraries can be the central point that makes that happen.
Works Cited
Works Cited
Abrams Books.
(2013, August 26). Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, Illustrated by David
Roberts. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT9mqJPAM2k
Adobe. (2012,
December 7). Why is creativity important in education? Sir Ken Robinson video
series from Adobe Education. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywIhJ2goiGE
Kurti, R. S.,
Kurti, D. L., & Fleming, L. (2014). The philosophy of educational
makerspacesL Part 1 of making an educational makerspace. Teacher
Librarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals, 41(5), 8-11.
Retrieved from http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/2014/06/18/educational-makerspaces/
Weisgrau, J.
(2015, September 24). School libraries and makerspaces: Can they coexist?
Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/school-libraries-makerspaces-coexist-josh-weisgrau
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