Snapshot
Makerspaces for Creative Expressions
October 2016 Presentation:
The Need to Make
As our education model is molded and shaped constantly, one thing remains a constant; the need for students to utilize their creative problem solving skills. Skills that they can use to solve many problems throughout their schooling utilizing their skills of collaboration, teamwork, time management, and thinking outside the box. Mankind creates and invents. Makerspace ideology operates on the premise that all students are creators. Making, as in student centered hands on learning, is essential (Terada, 2016).
What I Hope to Accomplish
I wish to address the problem of practice of providing students both structured and unstructured hands on opportunities for students to create and explore, reflect and relax, and design and improvise. The library at OCHS wants to offer a space with opportunities for creative exploration and hands on learning to students to supplement existing curriculum and to personalize learning for tactile learners.
Problem of Practice
Providing opportunities for students in grades 7-12 both formally and informally with access to the tools for hands on creative “making.” Students will utilize creative and divergent means to solve problems while making solutions.
Existing Problem
No maker space exists in the library. Students have no open access space and supplies for making. The library is limited in its supplies to help teachers incorporate meaningful hands on making and learning resources in the way that it is able to offer other resources both print, digital, and technological. Maker Space materials will enhance our efforts to become a viable STEAM middle and high school with opportunities for students to grow intellectually and creatively.
Strategy
Creating the maker space, offering both informal opportunities and resources for making as students want and also offering more formal opportunities and resources for making to help teachers support curriculum.