Makerspace​​
"To define a school makerspace by its purpose and simplest of terms, it is a place where young people have an opportunity to explore their own interests; learn to use tools and materials, both physical and virtual; and develop creative projects" Laura Flemming Worlds of Making
Makerspace is a constructivist and constructionist movement that is taking the world by storm! Imagine DIY meets education! Makerspace is not only a hackshop where you can go to learn how to use an arc welder for the afternoon, but an educational concept as well! A makerspace presents readily-available materials  that can act as a provocation for inquiry, as well as modern technology and items to invent with.

​Makerspace is more than a space itself, it is a mindset that can and should be taught (Gerstein, 2014). We have a student culture of children who have learned to consume technology; educational zombies with all of their technological skill residing in the swipe of an index finger. With a makerspace, we can move beyond consumption to creation! There is a strong advocacy for this type of teaching and learning and it is critical for policy makers to understand as we develop frameworks that move away from consumption, towards creation in our educational settings (Alberta Education, 2011; Fullan, 2013; Wagner & Compton, 2012). A makerspace is about “turning knowledge into action” (Flemming, 2015, p. 7), and allows for a true opportunity to support personalized learning (Martinez & Stager, 2013). 
"Making is fundamental to what it means to be human. We must make, create and express ourselves to feel whole. There is something unique about making physical things. These things are like little pieces of us and seem to embody portions of our souls"
Mark Hatch The Maker Movement Manifesto
​The maker movement is about teaching and learning that is focused on student centered inquiry. This is not the project done at the end of a unit of learning, but the actual vehicle and purpose of the learning. The time to change education is needed now more than ever. We are facing an educational system in crisis and a global economy feeling the ripple effect of this failure (Wagner, 2012). Wagner captured the voice of business leaders describing the need for students to graduate with the skills of creativity and innovation, and that our educational institutions are failing to meet this mark (2012). “There are essential elements of educating young people to become innovators: the value of hands-on projects where students have to solve a real world problem and demonstrate mastery; the importance of learning to draw on academic content from multiple disciplines to solve a problem; learning to work in teams” (Wagner & Compton, 2012, p. 52). This description can be found at the heart of the maker movement manifesto; imploring individuals, community centres and schools to allow people to make, share, give, learn, tool up, play, participate, support, and change (Hatch, 2013). 
Gary Stager, co-author of Invent to Learn, details what exactly a makerspace in education is, as well as how to approach it in your classroom. Download a copy of this article for yourself from Scholastic.

What Does a Makerspace Look Like in Education?

A makerspace can take many forms, from an entire library transformed into a learning commons, a CTS lab, an early learning Atelier inspired by Reggio Emilia, or bins, buckets and carts that form a mobile makerspace. What is important before you begin the physical transformation of a space, is to consider the pedagogical implications of transforming teaching and learning first. The space can then be determined based on budget, physical location and access for students. 
"Makerspaces come in all shapes and sizes, but they all serve as a gathering point for tools, projects, mentors, and expertise. A collection of tools does not define a makerspace. Rather, we define it by what it enables: making." Makerspace Playbook School Edition 2013
Take a look at our Makerspace Community Gallery. This is a community space where our educators share the many possibilities of a makerspace from big to small in any school!

Resources

This page is a collection of what to read, who to follow and other resources to help educators in their makerspace journey!

Innovation Learning Center

The Innovative Learning Centre is bringing together students, educators and industry partners to collaborate and engage in the cycle of learning in order to create new innovations in the world of education. We are challenging the idea of a traditional classroom by exploring how physical and virtual environments can affect and improve learning.

Best of the Web

This is a collection of handbooks, resources and ideas for makerspaces in education. 
This info-graphic details the timeline of the maker movement and shares what this movement is doing for education!
You can download your own copy here!