STEAM Culture! Why We Should Make Way for Maker Spaces: Final Reflection Part 1

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world."

                                            Joel Barker

How do I create a 'maker culture' in my school without space or funds? Our school is under construction so our 'in between' spaces are currently storing building materials and we have no space for storing educational items. We are a needy school without funds to start new projects. How can I put my dream of having a 'maker space' at school into action?

I repurposed a rolling trolley that used to hold a projector. I purchased several inexpensive clear bins with lids and grabbed some old bigger bins from home. I put a call out to my staff for specific recyclables and I began my research.

Next, I collected relevant materials that I already had in my classroom or at school. I pulled out origami and paper airplane books, as well as all my STEAM and maker books. These could be incorporated into the maker bins for inspiration and instructions. I made notes, and found samples of some ideas of projects that I had done with previous classes and made a trip to the dollar store. My colleagues (at school and at UBC) generously shared some of their resources with me. 

The more research I did, I realized that the purpose of the activities were quite different. Some of the activities were 'problem solving' tasks, others were 'creative' tasks. I changed the name of the Maker Cart to the STEAM Trolley as the activities were varied and covered all the disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.


Developing curiosity, creativity, and collaboration are my key intentions for students using the STEAM Trolley.

I have shared the STEAM Trolley with my class several times since its conception. Students were highly engaged and worked with others while pursuing tasks. I overheard several students say, "This is hard!" but to my delight they stuck with their task and completed their projects. The open-ended nature of the activities lead students to laugh, instead of being upset when their plans didn't go as expected. It may have helped that I introduced my son's robotic team's motto, "Fail hard, fail often."

In Leading from the Library: Help Your School Community Thrive in the Digital Age, Miller and Bass suggest “When we give our students the opportunity to explore and create, we also improve our culture by offering new and exciting experiences.” (2019). A classroom maker trolley is a new and exciting experience for both my students and me. The bins can easily be swapped in and out, and by adding new ones to keep interest high.

In Beyond Books: Bringing Students Into the Library Through Creative Programming, Alicia Vandenbroek suggests, “As the role of the librarian continues to evolve, it is critical that we focus not only on books, but also on all the other resources we provide.” (2013). I incorporated several of Vandenbroek's most successful programs like origami, technical drawing, paper airplanes, and  friendship bracelets.  

Each bin contains everything needed for small groups of students to work, and many activities can be easily adapted for a whole class to use.

Two large bins that contain recyclables are for 'creative making.' In Tinkering With Makerspaces author Christopher Hunt says, "We try to go off book, and deviate from, or ignore, instructions. We try to throw away the cookie cutter (smash it, really). Each kid should be able to proudly say, “I made this; I’m impressed with my creativity; let me tell you how I did it; let me tell you about the things that went wrong; let me tell you how it works now, and what it is for….” With each of my students I kept challenging them to improve or adapt their projects to make it their own. I certainly had no problem with students sharing their creations. They were always quick to talk about what their project was and how they made it.

Pinterest 

I have collaborated with my school librarian to start a lunch time Maker Club.  We decided that the club would be for Grade 2 and 3 students because the Grades 4-7 students have lunch time opportunities such as choir and floor hockey.  We already have grade seven students that have expressed interest in leading the club. We are going to start with some simple winter crafts, then after the holiday open up the STEAM Trolley to the Maker Club. We will also offer the Spheros during an after school session as there won't be enough time during lunch. The advantage to using the Spheros after school is that parents can view their child's work when they are picked up. 

Why is fostering a maker culture important? There is an overwhelming amount of research that supports developing a 'maker culture' in schools and public spaces like libraries. In The Resilient Educator the article The Benefits of Teaching STEAM Lessons the writers describe benefits such as meaningful collaboration, increasing critical thinking skills, hands on experience, non-linear problem solving, and encouraging different ways to value the arts.

With a broader educational goal in mind What is STEM and Why is it Important? article the author and researcher David White concludes that teachers of K-12 are important influences in introducing the STEM concepts and that, "These concepts may lead to the students pursuing a STEM major in higher education and ultimately choose a STEM career within the workforce."

In Makerspaces: The Benefits the article outlines advantages that are close to my heart. It references recent research that supports that makerspaces are learner-centered, empowering, and authentic. “When we allow children to experiment, take risks, and play with their own ideas, we give them permission to trust themselves. They begin to see themselves as learners who have good ideas and can transform their own ideas into reality.” The article also explains that maker spaces help prepare students for the future. "Makerspaces are increasingly being looked to as a method for engaging learners in creative, higher-order problem-solving through hands-on design, construction, and iteration.”

“Ultimately, the interdisciplinary and empowering natures of these makerspaces can help prepare youth for a future we can’t yet imagine.” Davee, Regalla & Chang, 2015

Another important benefit of maker spaces is the high level of student interest and engagement, especially for students that may be struggling academically or socially at school. In Strategies to Engage Reluctant Learners  the article encourages teachers to support, encourage and empower their reluctant students by increasing engagement. This may look different for each student so teachers need to change their practice to reach all students. Many of the strategies to engage learners suggested in the article are authentically presented in a maker culture. A safe learning space, interest, choice and peer support are naturally embedded in maker activities.

The STEAM Trolley is just the beginning of my learning vision. There is more action to come in transforming my 'maker' dream into reality. I have taken a huge step in my own risk taking and technology skill development by creating a video to present to my staff, parent advisory and school district promoting the benefits of Maker culture in my elementary school. There is a greater purpose for this. I am hoping to secure some finances to purchase Lego for the school library. There are so many ways to use Lego bricks to enhance student learning and solve STEAM challenges. Here are a few links with some inspiring ideas: Ways to Use Lego in the Classroom,  30 Day Lego-STEM Challenge, and Printable LEGO Challenges for Kids.

Orchard School Lego Wall

Expanding the STEAM Trolley to include more digital and technical kits, something my school is lacking, will be my next goal. I will soon include bins with supplies to make penny spinners, catapults, umbrellas, cardboard structure pieces, egg drop kits... and then I can draw ideas from 26 Projects to Jump-Start Your Maker Space.

Equity is a huge concern for educators like me, working in a school that does not have many resources to draw from.  More than lacking, our school is lagging behind in learning opportunities that other schools in our district have had for years. I am hoping my video, presented to the right people, may lead to a larger collaborative action team that can work to bridge the gap in technology.

I have created a simple rubric for primary and intermediate students that can be used by teachers in assessing students. I have used the new reporting language that will be implemented next year and incorporated the Big Ideas in ADST (Applied Design Skill and Technology) as well as the Core Competencies. Sharing the STEAM Trolley with teachers and providing an assessment rubric is a small way that I can support my staff right now. 

My goal is to move my teaching experience and love of literacy into the library in the next year or so. As a Teacher-librarian I will be adding digital mentor to my list of responsibilities. I have stepped up my involvement in technology in a number of ways. I have made an intentional effort each week to learn at least one new skill and teach it to any staff member that is interested. I have made a point of reading every Tech Newsletter that is sent to me from my school district. I have learned timely and valuable tips in every issue. I have reached out to more tech savvy friends and colleagues to help me solve issues I can't figure out from youtube instructions. Instead of shying away from tech challenges I am trying to figure them out by including my students in the process.

My vision has action! See my next blog post to see my digital artifact embedded in my final blog Reflection 2.

References

About Us. Empower the Learner. (2021, August 29). Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://empowerthelearner.com/about/

BC Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Applied Design, skills and technologies. Building Student Success - B.C. Curriculum. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/adst

Brown, J. (2017). Uncovering the truth about Maker Spaces. In Canadian School Libraries Research Archive. 

Butler-Kisber, L. (2020). How do Makerspaces heighten student engagement? EdCanNetwork.

Cowen, A. (2022, November 4). 26 projects to jump-start your makerspace: Science buddies blog. Science Buddies. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/makerspace-projects

Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

Davee, S., Regalla, L., & Chang, S. (2015, May). Makerspaces highlights of select literature. Retrieved from http://makered.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Makerspace-Lit-Review-5B.pdf

Davidson, A.-L., & Price, D. W. (2018). Does your school have the maker fever? an experiential learning approach to developing maker competencies. LEARNing Landscapes, 11(1), 103–120. https://doi.org/10.36510/learnland.v11i1.926

Fingal, J. (2022, October 27). How curiosity, creativity and Student Agency unlock student learning. ISTE. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/explore/education-leadership/how-curiosity-creativity-and-student-agency-unlock-student-learning

Hunt, C. (2019, March 18). Tinkering with makerspaces. Canadian School Libraries Journal. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from http://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/tinkering-with-makerspaces/

Littlebins. (2020, July 31). Printable Lego challenges for kids. Little Bins for Little Hands. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/lego-challenge-calendar-ideas-kids/

Makerspaces: The Benefits. curiositycommons. (2016, April 25). Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://curiositycommons.wordpress.com/makerspaces-the-benefits/

Miller, S., & Bass, W. (2019.  Leading from the Library: Help your School Community Thrive in the Digital Age. (Links to an external site.) International Society for Technology in Education.

Nadelson, L. S. (2021). Makerspaces for rethinking teaching and learning in K–12 education: Introduction to research on makerspaces in K–12 education special issue. The Journal of Educational Research, 114(2), 105–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2021.1914937

Otieo, C. (2017). Makerspaces: A Qualitative Look into Makerspaces as Innovative Learning Environment Catherine Otieno Follow this and additional works at: https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations This Text. University of Northern Colorado Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC, 1–161.

pathway2success. (2022, February 2). Strategies to engage reluctant learners. The Pathway 2 Success. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.thepathway2success.com/strategies-to-engage-reluctant-learners/

Rouse, R., Krummeck, K., & Uribe, O. (2020, February). Making the most of a Makerspace. NSTA. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://www.nsta.org/science-and-children/science-and-children-february-2020/making-most-makerspace

Student Centered Education. Strategic plan 2021-2031 - north vancouver school district. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://www.sd44.ca/Board/StrategicPlan/Pages/default.aspx#/=

The benefits of Teaching Steam Lessons: Resilient educator. ResilientEducator.com. (2020, December 10). Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/benefits-of-teaching-steam/

Vandenbroek, A. (2013, October). BEYOND BOOKS: BRINGING STUDENTS INTO THE LIBRARY THROUGH /J CREATIVE PROGRAMMING. Retrieved November 12, 2022.

Vongkulluksn, V. W., Matewos, A. M., Sinatra, G. M., & Marsh, J. A. (2018). Motivational factors in makerspaces: A mixed methods study of elementary school students’ situational interest, self-efficacy, and achievement emotions. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0129-0

Ways to use Lego in the classroom. Teaching Ideas. (2019, September 18). Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/maths/ways-to-use-lego-in-the-classroom

White, D. (2014). What is STEM education and why is it important? - researchgate. What Is STEM and Why Is It Important? Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264457053_What_is_STEM_education_and_why_is_it_important

Www.facebook.com/mombrite. (2021, July 9). Free printable 30-day lego stem challenge calendar. Mombrite. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.mombrite.com/lego-stem-challenge-calendar/

Sarah D. Sparks, O. 30. (2020, December 17). Make learning personal. Make Learning Personal. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from http://kathleenmcclaskey.com/ 

Final Vision Project: Learner Considerations

Maker activities provide authentic
opportunities for collaboration

"Makerspaces support multidisciplinary, individual, and collaborative learning through iterative error- and risk-tolerant tinkering, offering multiple points of entry including repairing items, building robots, and creating. We saw a direct relationship between developing maker competencies and the willingness to learn new tools." (Davidson and Price, 2017).

Why have Maker Spaces and STEAM projects created such a buzz in elementary and high schools across North America? What is their value to us as parents and teachers in British Columbia? How do these science, technology, engineering, art and math projects benefit students?

What is Maker Culture?

"Maker culture embodies do-it-yourself tinkering using tiny, affordable open-source computers, electronics, and recycled items to further sustainability, equity, social innovation, democratization of innovation, and community building. Makers engage in self-directed experiential learning through risk-tolerant, persistent problem solving in interdependent communities tackling complex, socially relevant problems." (Davidson and Price, 2017). Maker culture or Maker Spaces and STEAM are intertwined, and for the purposes of their connection to curriculum, are considered the same.

Although these STEAM activities are fun and engaging for students at school, I would like to inform parents and teachers of their deeper value. These activities can be designed to intentionally meet the curricular goals in both the BC Curriculum and our North Vancouver School District's strategic planning and visioning. It is no 'fluke' that our new curriculum has provided learning outcomes that encompasses STEAM activities.

Let’s take a look at the BC Curriculum…

The Core Competencies include several skills identified as essential for learner success. BC students are expected to reflect on their own development of these skills and give specific examples connecting their learning to the competencies. STEAM activities naturally provide authentic opportunities for students to practice collaboration, critical and creative thinking as well as personal and social understanding.

Core Competencies: BC Ministry of Education

Another curricular area Applied Design, Skills and Technology (ADST) naturally encompasses Maker and STEAM activities.  The Big Ideas directly connect to the Core Competencies. Both curricular areas include the same key words: knowledge, skills, technology, communication, ideas, purpose, joy, thinking, understanding, identity, and purpose.

ADST Big Ideas: BC Ministry of Education

Looking deeper into the intended curricular competencies of ADST, there are even more connections to deeper learning with STEAM or Maker activities. The ADST Curricular Competencies are loaded with skills that are necessary to be life-long learners.

Some of the key applied design and applied skills include: generating ideas and adding to others' ideas, gathering peer feedback, incorporating new ideas into a design, using materials safely, extending capabilities, reflecting on one's ability to work in a group, and telling others of their design story. All of these fit under the 'umbrella' of Communication, Thinking, and Personal and Social Skills from the Core Competencies.

There are also obvious curricular connections within the academic subjects of Science, Math and Art in all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Equity and access to STEAM activities continues to be an issue. Schools with healthy economic backing supply an assortment of digital technologies for students while other schools simply can't afford the 'extras.' The broad definition of Maker Space or Maker Culture can encompass hands on activities that develop skills even without the digital component. For example, 'Breaker Spaces' where students take apart broken products can learn about how they are made, or play hands on games that use the concepts of coding.

How about my School District Strategic Plan and Visioning Statements…

On our NVSD website it is easy to find our District's Vision, Values and Goals. The first sentence under Strategic Plan states, "The North Vancouver School District provides world-class instruction and a rich diversity of engaging programs to inspire success for every student and bring communities together to learn, share and grow."

NVSD Vision, Values, and Goals

Specifically, listed under Goals, the NVSD states Student-centered Education, Innovative Instruction and Mental Health and Well Being as three of the six goals of our school district. Each of these has been proven to be embedded in student learning during STEAM activities.

  Here is what the research says…

There is an overwhelming volume of research that supports the implementation of STEAM and Maker Spaces. Increased engagement, collaboration skills, and problem solving skills are benefits one would expect. Interestingly, participants in STEAM workshops developed an increased sense of wellness and strong sense of community. Some research also states that participants develop a growth mindset and confidence.

Curiosity Commons has published an article titled Makerspaces: The Benefits. The site describes many benefits and also points out that the actual product is irrelevant. “What is made may not matter at all; it can still influence the thought process, vision, and ability to connect of a learning maker." (Curiosity Commons).

The National Inventors Hall of Fame Journal has also published What are the Benefits of a Makerspace? Learning to take failure in stride, hands-on learning, opportunities for innovation, and developing a wide range of 21st learning skills are some of the claims stated in the article.

The Resilient Educator published the article Benefits of Teaching STEAM Lessons on their website. They list collaboration, developing creative and critical thinking, and hands on experience as benefits, as well as encouraging girls in STEAM.

In the Learning Landscapes Journal titled: Does Your School Have the Maker Fever? An Experiential Learning Approach to Developing Maker Competencies, authors and researchers Davidson and Price conclude in their study that, "Our analysis suggested key themes of initiative, playful learning, authentic adaptation, interdependence, and over resourcing. These themes can be developed into “maker competencies” to meet 21st century needs." (Davidson and Price, 2017).

Maker Spaces and STEAM activities have many overlaps within the BC Curriculum and our NVSD goals and vision. Not only are activities engaging and fun, but prove to develop resiliency and social emotional benefits.

My final project is meant to educate parents and teachers of the value and deeper intent of these activities. Perhaps with increased awareness and support from parents and teachers we can advocate for more equitable funding for digital resources in 'have not' schools like mine.

After all, all students, regardless of their parent's income, deserve a "world class instruction and a rich diversity of engaging programs." (NVSD website).

References

BC Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Applied Design, skills and technologies. Building Student Success - B.C. Curriculum. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/adst

Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

Davidson, A.-L., & Price, D. W. (2018). Does your school have the maker fever? an experiential learning approach to developing maker competencies. LEARNing Landscapes, 11(1), 103–120. https://doi.org/10.36510/learnland.v11i1.926

Fingal, J. (2022, October 27). How curiosity, creativity and Student Agency unlock student learning. ISTE. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/explore/education-leadership/how-curiosity-creativity-and-student-agency-unlock-student-learning

Makerspaces: The Benefits. curiositycommons. (2016, April 25). Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://curiositycommons.wordpress.com/makerspaces-the-benefits/

Nadelson, L. S. (2021). Makerspaces for rethinking teaching and learning in K–12 education: Introduction to research on makerspaces in K–12 education special issue. The Journal of Educational Research, 114(2), 105–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2021.1914937

Student Centered Education. Strategic plan 2021-2031 - north vancouver school district. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://www.sd44.ca/Board/StrategicPlan/Pages/default.aspx#/=

The benefits of Teaching Steam Lessons: Resilient educator. ResilientEducator.com. (2020, December 10). Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/benefits-of-teaching-steam/

Vongkulluksn, V. W., Matewos, A. M., Sinatra, G. M., & Marsh, J. A. (2018). Motivational factors in makerspaces: A mixed methods study of elementary school students’ situational interest, self-efficacy, and achievement emotions. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0129-0