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The topic for this week is Makerspace. The following interactive presentation will introduce the theories behind Makerspaces.
The topic for this week is Makerspace. The following interactive presentation will introduce the theories behind Makerspaces.
What is a Makerspace?
Educause defines a makerspace as "a physical location where people gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network and build." According to Dale Dougherty, the founder of Make Magazine and Maker Faire, a makerspace is defined as: “… [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: We are makers (12 minutes)
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Makerspaces - The Future of Education (4.5 minutes)
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So, basically, the makerspace provides the tools and collaborative community space, allowing individuals and groups to conceptualize, design and fabricate something. Many makerspaces are connected to educational institutions and have a staff of experts who can assist novices, but often the projects move forward through collaboration and assistance from other novice "makers."
Growing out of the hacker culture, makerspaces today are primarily places for technological experimentation, hardware development and idea prototyping. Early makerspaces provided the materials and tools necessary to hack together a circuit board that would let you make your cell phone talk through the singing fish your brother in-law gave you for your last birthday. Anything from micro-controllers called arduinos and 3D printers might allow you to prototype you latest gizmo. But as the idea of providing a space for project design and fabrication caught on in other areas of education, these community spaces have acquired other accouterments, from fabrics, paints and easels to sets and props from theater, and even ovens, kitchenware and candy molds. If you have a itch to tinker, then a makerspace might just be what you need to scratch that itch. |
Maker Movement
The Maker Movement is rapidly growing in popularity worldwide, with more than 41 million results on google search. Since The “Maker” term originated with premiere issue of Make Magazine (Now has circulation over 100,000) by Dale Dougherty in 2005, the Maker Movement has sparked ideas and had far reaching effects on business, the economy, education and even our everyday way of life. What is a Maker Movement? The Maker Movement describes the wave of interest in inventing through do-it-yourself (DIY) and do-it-with-others (DIWO) techniques and processes to develop creative artifacts, such as printers, robotics and electronic devices. “As the maker movement evolves,” states Samtani (2013, p. 2), “so, too, does the demand for a new kind of participatory public arena commonly know as a Makerspace. Here budding makers mingle, share knowledge and resources, and collaborate on projects.” Makerspaces of all types are growing across the globe at an exponential rate. |
The maker movement: Jeff Sturges (15 minutes)
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Deep Learning through Making
The maker culture leans heavily on the idea of constructivism—that is, the notion that learning is best done through doing. The movement’s increasing popularity in the global market proves that this area of learning has great potential to grow and evolve, attributing to an increasing number of educators around the world to launch School makerspaces.
Across formal and informal learning environments, makerspaces can take many different forms, varying from a small section of a classroom to purpose-built manufacturing warehouse, and more. These spaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.
The maker culture leans heavily on the idea of constructivism—that is, the notion that learning is best done through doing. The movement’s increasing popularity in the global market proves that this area of learning has great potential to grow and evolve, attributing to an increasing number of educators around the world to launch School makerspaces.
Across formal and informal learning environments, makerspaces can take many different forms, varying from a small section of a classroom to purpose-built manufacturing warehouse, and more. These spaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering.