Makerspaces: A Whole New Market for Authors? by Todd Burleson
What is a makerspace and why should authors be interested? A makerspace is a place where learners create, tinker, explore, prototype, fail, research, discover and learn through a variety of materials. The tools can be anything from cardboard to microprocessors. A makerspace is about producing rather than consuming. Makers learn to make stuff by making things. “Schools often forget this as they endlessly prepare students for something that is going to happen to them next week, next year or in some future career. Students can and should be scientists, artists, engineers and writers today.”
As this movement continues to grow, educators and parents are constantly looking for ways to dovetail literacy with it. Sometimes, for me as a librarian, I’m looking for a way to fold in a lesson. Take Not a Box by Antoinette Portiss.
This lovely story about creativity is going to be an excellent way for me to introduce the Global Cardboard Challenge to my school.
This coming October, we'll invite the school and wider community to come visit our IDEA Lab and Project Room. We’ll have stations set up and manned by parents and students. This will be everyone’s chance to visit and learn more about the makerspace we’ve created. Following the Open House, we’ll gather to watch the film that inspired the idea behind the Global Cardboard Challenge.
Then, we’ll invite families to use the hundreds of pounds of cardboard, dozens of rolls of Duck tape, packing tape, Make Do Kits, zip ties and more to create with cardboard. They might create an arcade game or a robot. The only limit is their imagination. Finally, we’ll end the day by taking a gallery walk to see one another’s awesome creations.
One of the elements of the Maker Movement that is most inspirational to me is that it is breaking down the traditional borders around engineering and making. Great books like Rosie Revere the Engineer , Crafty Chloe, Violet the Pilot,Iggy Peck Architect are some tremendous examples.
So why should I as an author be so interested in the Maker Movement? I see the answer to this question in two parts. The first is that this should encourage authors to seek those obscure heroes from history; there’s never been a better time to highlight them. The second is that as authors, indeed as human beings, we should be ‘making’ ourselves. This summer, as a result of my attending the CMK Conference in Manchester, NY, I went from complete newbie with coding and circuitry to realizing that, with just a bit of research, I could make THIS
Rather than paying $3,000 dollars for it, I could actually make it. All it takes is a basic understanding of code and circuitry.
I began to look at the world with a lens that helped me feel empowered. No longer was I merely a consumer, I was a creator. This is the same sense of empowerment we want to hone in our students and teachers who are involved in the maker movement. Indeed, this is what it means when you hear that education is preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist. We are preparing them to think, explore and imagine!
As authors, we are constantly mining the world for our 'next' idea. When School Library Journal leads with a "Maker Issue," this is a good sign that the concepts are pretty entrenched.
Rather than paying $3,000 dollars for it, I could actually make it. All it takes is a basic understanding of code and circuitry.
I began to look at the world with a lens that helped me feel empowered. No longer was I merely a consumer, I was a creator. This is the same sense of empowerment we want to hone in our students and teachers who are involved in the maker movement. Indeed, this is what it means when you hear that education is preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist. We are preparing them to think, explore and imagine!
As authors, we are constantly mining the world for our 'next' idea. When School Library Journal leads with a "Maker Issue," this is a good sign that the concepts are pretty entrenched.
So, get out there. If you are a teacher, plan to visit a makerspace near you. If you are a parent, grandparent, uncle or cousin, check out how you can encourage this type of thinking at home. If you have never worked with tools or microcomputers, I encourage you to explore.
Makerspace, Hackerspaces, IDEA Labs, Innovation Studios, Fab Labs, whatever we call them, they are popping up in public libraries, in former furniture stores and a school near you. Go CREATE! Go get inspired and then turn those ideas and the ones they inspire into a piece of literature that will keep the movement going!
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1 "Why the Maker Movement matters to educators | SmartBlogs ..." 2013. 23 Aug. 2015 <http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/08/20/why-the-maker-movement-matters/>
Excellent article! I wish I could SEE your maker space in action!
ReplyDeleteTina, I plan to have tons of video and photographic documentation; we are working with a researcher who is going to help us communicate this process. I promise to share with you and others along the way!
DeleteThanks,
Todd
Todd, go forth and make and create. Your excitement jumps off the page. Good advice for writers to jump in, too.
ReplyDeleteI am literally over the moon excited about this year! We are going to have an amazing year. Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteTodd
Every school should have this opportunity. You need to clone yourself.
ReplyDeleteSherri,
DeleteIf only! It is my mission to share this process with as many people as possible. I'm giving a keynote on flexible learning environments. I hope to be able to share a recording of that keynote and all of my resources.
Sincerely,
Todd
WOW! What a trip through the morning with creativity! Thank you, Todd, for sharing the adventure with the possibilities of imagination. Warms my heart to see the infinite at a child's fingertips.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte,
DeleteThanks for the kind words. It's pretty exciting as the students have been filtering in and getting to see the hard work. I'm excited for the students to see and explore all the resources.
Sincerely,
Todd
This is so cool, Todd! I can't wait for it to roll out at your school. I smiled at your inclusion of "fail" in the things that the Makerspace allows students to do. Creativity, exploration, and even failure lead to smarter kids.
ReplyDeletePatricia,
DeleteYep. Failure is part of the process. TMI: Think, Make, Improve. That's the design process in its simplest form. Improve implies failure, ideation, growth. Can't wait to explore the 'hard fun' together with the students.
Sincerely,
Todd
Todd...I love this, love this, love this, love this!
ReplyDeleteCan you tell that I love this?
I've always said the the BOX is a better present than what is inside. In my kindergarten class back in the day, we used boxes for pretend play, creative play, crafting, and more. My own kids couldn't wait till we unpacked the new fridge...so they could use the BOX. My grandson built a jet plane with boxes and styrofoam when he was 4.
Hats off to you...I'm climbing on board the makerspace express. ;)
Todd, you are innovator of the year in your state, region & possibly further afield.
ReplyDeleteI just got up & found our daughter's duct tape (the one roll she didn't take off with her to Boston. Felling well-challenged & inspired by you.)
Your writing is invigorating & the eyedears about tangible items made by the mind to hand connection gives me great hope for students everywhere, of all ages & that would be us, too. Your makerspace is going to make news, I'm sure.
I followed most of the links especially the informative July Zen Librarian post from NY state ( & M.I. T) & the SLJ issue, which I tweeted.
many many boxes (mine include a basket, flower bouquet, bowl of fruit) of thanks!
Todd:
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the importance of why Makespace matters. All the best to you and the kids at Hubbard Woods IDEA lab as everyone has the tools to make and create.
~Suzy