7 things you should know about makerspace

7 things you should know about makerspace
link to full PDF Text from Educause in title

Basics

1. What is it?
Makerspace is a physical location where people can share common resources and ideas and network to work on  projects.  A makerspace shares tools and resources in a community space like a library community center, private organization or campuses.

2.  Hacker culture inspired the makerspace.  Most makerspaces are still centered around technological experimentation, hardware development and idea prototyping.  Tools and supplies are often included in the space.  Occasionally a 3D printer is available to create 3 dimensional models.

3.  Makerspace developed in nonacademic communities but is quickly being adopted and adapted by schools, and colleges.

4.  Makerspaces are spaces where people can explore ideas with a hands on approach.  Ideal for Kinesthetic learners who learn best by doing.  (Howard Gardner's Frames Of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences)  

5.  The downsides of makerspaces are that they are expensive and individuals have to wait to use the resources or tools.  Some of the tools are hazardous.

6.  Makerspaces are currently physical locations, but could exist in virtual worlds.  Makerspaces could actually like from campus to campus to share unique resources and encourage intra-state, interstate or international collaboration.


7.  Implications for teaching and learning include cross disciplinary learning, learning from collaboration, and for students to take control of their own learning or inquiry based learning.  Assignments will be broadly defined which would allow students to learn to use technologies and experiment to create a final project.