Category Archives: makerspaces

Innovation means time and money – Coding & Maker Spaces

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Once I started diving into this topic it wasn’t as scary as I thought. It is honestly a lot of what I already know and have tried a bit in my own way with in the restrictions of our curriculum, time, money and space. My prior knowledge among coding was minimal; I always thought coding was extremely complex process which gave instructions for a program, apps, or computer to process. I also thought it was only for people who had training or schooling due to its complexity.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It turns out like many aspects of learning new things there are simpler easier ways to start coding. It does not need to start or look like the image above. The program we were shown in class was Scratch Jr  and I can see the benefits of teaching coding. Students could create stories or timelines on many topics.  It lets students create, problem solve, and infer. This would help them with attention to detail, and particularity by having to break things down into steps. It is all very high levels of thinking according to Bloom’s taxonomy which is very beneficial for our students. It definitely falls under the high level of the cognitive learning theory and fits the constructivist learning theory as well.

I just did a project in science where they had to analyze history of atomic theory by creating a timeline of models and changes throughout history. Coding could be a great way to order and differentiate between scientists findings through creating a story of some sort. This hits the outcome at an even higher level for enhancing student learning.

When I saw the word Makerspaces, I was even more in the dark,  I had never heard of this. What I have learned is it is a place where people come together to solve a problem. In an educational setting it would be giving a group of students materials, time and space necessary to create something, or come up with ideas to solve a problem.

Makerspaces also fall under the constructivist theory and has many benefits. It gives students freedoms and choice with in the outcome. It supports in collaboration, problem solving and perseverance. The really important one is that attitude of making mistakes is valuable, and when things don’t go right to try again in a new way. This is a wonderful life skill as nothing will go great the first time. It fosters life long learning and resilience.

These skills I have been talking about is extremely important when it come to complex topics in the world of math and science. According to Let’s talk science students are losing interest in the science and math. Over half don’t graduate with a senior level math or science. Also only 12% of graduating students take physics.

Hence, students need to be inspired in these courses. We need to be given the time and money to get tools and tech to allow students to problem solve in interesting ways. Especially in math, it has been pencil and paper and drill and practice for so long. Our math courses are so jam packed not only do we have barely enough time to just traditionally teach the outcome, let alone get them explore it and play. The other problem is when trying to do the outcome at a higher level, kids need basic skills and they are not coming to high school with those solid skills. There is a lot of reteaching to get the basics hence we don’t have enough time for creation and innovation a lot of the time. There needs to be some change in our curricula for this to happen.

Sometimes the issue with doing something that is a higher order of thinking than the outcome is asking for, is students are working so hard to create that sometimes they completely miss the mark in the analyzation of the content that was asked for. I have seen this many times when I try something cool that my weaker students get left behind. Is it great for those students to try these things, yes, but sometimes it can be very overwhelming and they aren’t successful. This is when differentiating the assessment would be and encouraging your excelling students to try these innovative projects. On the contrary, when students realize one way will be more “work” than others assessments it is hard to inspire them to dive in. Maybe maker spaces should be more for non-curricular clubs to avoid this problem. But then the government needs to give more funding to education. Hard enough to get funding for curricular items, I can’t imagine trying to get more money for makerspaces!

Even though there are issues around materials, money, motivation and time in some areas, I think education is moving towards finding ways to help our students be innovative and solve problems. Central Collegiate in Moose Jaw where I work is doing some great things! We have innovation club at our school which work with drones, the 3D printer and create computer games and much more that I don’t even know about. We have coding and drafting classes which all involve collaboration and creation. In science we are giving students materials and building anything from houses to protect objects, terrariums to roller coasters. It is happening but we just need to push for more time, and more money to give our students the best education possible.

Makerspaces!

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Makerspaces are not a new concept to me. However, I have never tried to implement this in my own teaching practice. I have watched from afar as other teachers in my school have successfully used Makerspaces and was jealous of the creativity and imagination that came from the students! The idea of pulling together all of the supplies, resources and storing it was intimidating to me. Looking back, this was a mistake.

This article outlines the benefits of having a makerspace, such as hands-on learning, problem solving, and collaboration and an opportunity for students to try new things in a risk free environment. Many students have a fear of failure in the classroom; however, in a makerspace, students feel that they can try in a trial & error fashion. 

In makerspaces, students have shown to be able to benefit from improved self regulation and reflection. As they are building and problem solving, they are able to look objectively at the problem and try several different strategies for success. Makerspaces boost motivation for students to continue, and help to develop a growth mindset.

I think that all students could benefit from makerspaces the same way that all students benefit from math. Problem solving and logical reasoning is applied. This helps our brain to continue to think in this way, “rewiring” ourselves. Makerspaces clearly enhance learning, keep students engaged and motivated, fostering the desire to learn. During the presentation, it was mentioned that the University of Regina had a Makerspace under the Riddell Center! As a student of the U of R for MANY years, this was brand new information to me! I am very curious and would like to visit this. 

Creativity at it’s best – in my limited thought though :)

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Last week’s classroom presentation in my EC&I 833 course was on coding and makerspaces, and let me tell you, I was expecting it to be a boring session because I have never been much interested in Coding and makerspace wasn’t a very familiar term for me. And guess what- it left me curious !!

So, what’s the buzz about coding? Well, I realized that my thoughts were Null and Void and that coding isn’t just for the tech gurus or future computer scientists; it’s a tool that can help all students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and perseverance. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how coding can be integrated into everyday learning, making complex concepts come to life in a fun and interactive way. The interesting examples in the class presentation were Ozobots. I found out that these tiny robots help students develop an IQ for coding by using colored pens to develop logical and sequential set of commands to create storylines that the Ozobots would act out through movement. It sounded like a hands-on way for students to see the real-world applications of coding.

And then: I was bowled over by makerspaces. Makerspaces have become a hot topic in education. While not a new concept, makerspaces are gaining traction for the many benefits they provide students as these spaces are integrated into classrooms and schools. Designed to challenge students to create and learn through hands-on, personalized experiences throughout elementary, middle, and high school, here are a few of the many benefits of makerspaces: In recent years, makerspaces have become increasingly popular worldwide, thanks to the rise of the maker movement. The recommended reading from the session (The role of makerspaces in innovation processes: an exploratory study) was really interesting and educated me too. This movement began with the whole DIY and Hacks culture and has made digital fabrication tools accessible to a wide range of people. Makerspaces, also known as Fablabs or hackerspaces, are physical places where people can access shared tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking and metalworking tools, and microcontrollers. Those who use these spaces are called makers.

It is a culture of collaboration, curiosity, experimenting and learning through trial and error. I feel the result of all this has to be some form of learning, some outcome and sometimes an invention that can revolutionize the world, make it better, happier in some way. Additionally It also teaches some values like: taking failure in stride: In experimentation, testing, evaluating, and modifying are part of the process. Participants learn how to make failure into a learning experience and not become discouraged or frustrated when something doesn’t go as planned.

https://www.vanderbilt.edu/thewondry/makerspaces/makerspaces-collage-presentation-169/

This University’s website and illustrations were very attractive and interesting to me. It reflects that in Makerspaces People have showcased their creativity and capabilities by developing innovative products, such as the first consumer 3D printer and smartphone-based payment devices. Notably, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, makers stepped up to address the urgent need for medical supplies

To me one of the most fascinating tools in our makerspace is the 3D printer. Did you know that 3D printers have been used to create prosthetic limbs, build houses, and even print food? It’s incredible to think about the possibilities that this technology opens up for students! In fact, NASA has used 3D printers to create tools and parts in space, revolutionizing how astronauts can repair and maintain equipment during missions.

However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Some challenges like limited time, resources, and the fear of not being an expert in coding, society pressure in different forms etc will always be there. But here’s the thing I’ve learned after knowing Coding; makespaces: I don’t have to know it all. It’s okay to lean on resources and collaborate with students to navigate the world of coding and makerspaces.

And lastly I must share one video on makerspace that was so interesting

Reference

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/radm.12594

Makerspaces Collage (Presentation (169))