Sandburg's Makerspace - Create, Build, Explore

It takes up very little physical space when it’s all stored away, but the Media Center’s new Makerspace has already had a large impact on student exploration and discovery. The concept itself is neither new nor innovative. In classrooms throughout the school, students are asked to be creative, to experiment, to learn, to grow, and to connect with each other. These projects, presentations, labs, and discoveries all share a common theme of helping students to experience education as a positive force. What makes a Makerspace in the Media Center different is that it provides an area for students to come together during their non-classroom time and work on projects and creations of their own design.

What is a “Makerspace”?

John Burke, Library Director of Miami Middleton University, defines a makerspace as a place where “Participants, or makers, can create digital and physical items in common working spaces using shared equipment and resources” (Burke, 2015). Quite literally, anywhere students and staff can gather to create can be defined as such a space, but by placing it in a common, academically minded area, the Media Center can ensure that there is fair and equitable use of the common resources for whatever project the students and staff have in mind. It isn’t just a place to hold the resources of creation, a makerspace is intended to have the same effect on learning that incubation centers like Chicago’s 1871 have on the ideas of innovation and creation. Free from the constraints of requirements, students can build, tinker, and craft their own ideas and become their own champions of education.

What kinds of resources are available?
Simple and complex tools, from art supplies to electronic circuits, in an ever growing library of materials and programs that allow students to explore their ideas without specific direction or intention. Some of the most popular tools are LittleBits (snap together building of simple circuits) and Lego Wedo 2.0 (design, build, and program robots for simple tasks) allow students to experiment with design principles and coding that otherwise might not be available in specific classes or for specific projects. A complete and updated list of resources available can be found by contacting one of the media specialists.

When is the Makerspace available to students and staff?
The Makerspace area is open before school, during lunch periods and after school to students with their IDs. Currently, all items need to be used inside of the media center. The staff has the opportunity to check out items to use with their classes. Media Center staff is also happy to collaborate with teachers for a lesson using some of these items.

What impact is this having on student learning?
With growing popularity in school media centers and public libraries, our Makerspace is becoming a social hub of Sandburg along with the educational opportunities available for students. As we progress through our Digital Learning initiatives, the media center is evolving. A maker spaces adds elements of creativity while also exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) type projects, while also building communication and collaboration skills. Since the area is open to all students with no expectations or pressure placed on the outcome, many students that don’t normally have the opportunity to see school as a place of discovery are becoming more engaged with their educations. Our hope is that students get excited about new opportunities and ideas and that leads to further exploration, whether it be in the form of seeking out possible classes here at Sandburg or hobbies outside of school.

Makerspace Resource Videos: