Makerspace.com defines a makerspace as: "A makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school, library, or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring, and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools"
https://www.makerspaces.com/what-is-a-makerspace/
Makerspaces seem to be a place where you can be yourself and at the same time be challenged as you think outside of the box. Makerspaces can be especially valuable to children. When children are in a makerspace, they are experimenting, collaborating, problem solving, gaining self-confidence, and becoming lifelong learners. Anything we can do to boost a child's self-esteem and confidence, is a good thing. The items used can be as simple as craft materials or elaborate as 3D printers,welding equipment, and laser cutters.
I am amazed by some of the things people have created in a makerspace. The time, patience, and ingenuity that goes into these projects is impressive. People have made things as elaborate as a robot! you can also use makerspaces to create things that look simple but are really ingenuitive, like a battery out of pennies, or electronic greeting cards.
Makerspaces seem to be a place where you can be yourself and at the same time be challenged as you think outside of the box. Makerspaces can be especially valuable to children. When children are in a makerspace, they are experimenting, collaborating, problem solving, gaining self-confidence, and becoming lifelong learners. Anything we can do to boost a child's self-esteem and confidence, is a good thing. The items used can be as simple as craft materials or elaborate as 3D printers,welding equipment, and laser cutters.
I am amazed by some of the things people have created in a makerspace. The time, patience, and ingenuity that goes into these projects is impressive. People have made things as elaborate as a robot! you can also use makerspaces to create things that look simple but are really ingenuitive, like a battery out of pennies, or electronic greeting cards.
Makerspaces.com has many wonderful ideas with lots of pictures. https://www.makerspaces.com/makerspace-ideas/ If you are looking for more ideas of things to create, check out Youtube:.There are many videos demonstrating how to create your own makerspace as well as videos of things people have made.
Science was my least favorite subject in school, but if we’d had makerspaces this might not have been so. The opportunity to learn while creating and collaborating with my classmates would have likely changed that. I am sure it would help a lot of students who are struggling with science. These are the kids who think science is boring, just like I used to.
Makerspaces could also help students struggling with math. I saw in a video some people using blocks in a makerspace to teach fractions in math. This would help students understand fractions and show them how it can be applied to real life.
Makerspaces are the future. I am happy to watch it grow and develop. Hopefully someday soon there will be makerspaces in all schools and public libraries. They don’t have to be expensive and there is always grant funding to help with the costs. I feel the difference they make is worth the money spent.
There are so many websites out there that can help you when you are ready to create your own makerspace. As my 10 year old daughter says “If you want to learn about something, just Google it”!
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