Last year I wrote about the J. Turner Hood Schools vision of
creating a Makerspace. I am proud to report that this year we will be opening
our soon to be named Makerspace. The
design of our Makerspace stems from our schools research on The Maker Movement.
The Maker Movement is a technological and creative learning revolution
that is underway around the globe. This movement has exciting and vast
implications for the world of education. New tools and technology, such as 3D
printing, robotics, microprocessors, wearable computing, e-textiles, “smart”
materials, and programming languages are being invented at an unprecedented
pace. The Maker Movement creates affordable or even free versions of these
inventions, while sharing tools and ideas online to create a vibrant,
collaborative community of global problem-solvers. Makers are people who
like to figure out and fix problems with their hands. Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager write,
in Invent to Learn, that “Maker classrooms are active
classrooms. In active classrooms one will find engaged students, often working
on multiple projects simultaneously, and teachers unafraid of relinquishing
their authoritarian role. The best way to activate your classroom is for your
classroom to make something.”
What
exactly is a Maker and what happens in the “space?” If you search a thesaurus
for the word “make” you will find a plethora of great synonyms: create,
cause, assemble, manufacture, achieve, invent, generate, produce, craft, build,
construct, or generate. And, that is exactly what happens in a Makerspace. It
is an environment where one is only limited by one’s imagination. It is a space
that allows for exploration of all of the aspects of STEM–Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math–and sprinkles it with imagination for an exploration of
“what if.” In the J.
Turner Hood Elementary School, our Makerspace in
the Computer Room/Maker Center is set to inspire students to become
participatory learners to uncover their talents, needs, and interests by
making, producing, solving, creating, collaborating and thinking. In this space, the focus will be
"real-world problem solving," The Makerspace will allow students to
use a variety of materials to build projects that will relate back to the content in a specific lesson or unit of
instruction.
This space is set to officially open soon thanks to the support
of our Parent’s Association who have been crucial in the design, setup and
funding of this worthwhile endeavor. One
might ask "what are you going to call this space?" I would have to
say that I am not sure yet as our amazing students in true maker fashion will
be naming the space and creating the logo. Please stay tuned to the Hood School
Twitter account for updates regarding this amazing opportunity for our students
and staff!
