Fab Lab/Makerspace Proposal

[Abdou Lo]

Hello all,

I hope you're doing well.

I am an IB design/tech teacher for grades 6-12. I'm reaching out to all of you today to ask for help in developing a plan proposal for a Fab Lab, Makerspace, or design lab for my school. 

If you have a plan (layout, materials, furniture, etc.) that you're willing to share with me, we'll greatly appreciate it.

 Any idea regarding this project is welcome, as we already have stakeholders who are ready to make this happen for our students.

Thank you for your help.

[Mark Loundy]

The most important thing to nail down is the *why* you’re building a makerspace. For example, is it going to support Project Based Learning? Something else? Staff buy-in is absolutely critical. Without it, the space will go unused. Does somebody own the room? If everybody is responsible for it, nobody is. Coordinating a makerspace is not something that can be done along with being a mainstream classroom teacher.

All good wishes for your project!

Mark Loundy (He, Him, His)

Instructional Technology Specialist
Google Certified Educator
Ignited Fellow x 5
Silicon Valley

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "K-12 Fab Labs and Makerspaces" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to k-12-fablabs...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/k-12-fablabs/CANfpqdVUKS%3D-8ATwmEwi-d7hAbo642%3DfWvdVgjP1SXVOv%2BDRHw%40mail.gmail.com.

[JD Pirtle]

I agree with everything Mark said. From 2013-2018 I was the main maker space teacher at a school, the coordinator of the space doing all the maintenance and ordering, and was on the admin team. I do not recommend doing more than one of those full time. 

Abdou, I think it's important to do some need finding and figure out the answers to lots of questions before you get started:

- Is the maker space a place or a class? Or both?

- Are students going to take a class there or is it a resource to supplement other curricula and project based learning?

- Who is responsible for maintenance? Scheduling? Ordering? 

- Who has expertise in which domain? Who are the adults in the community who can support different projects and toolsets?

- What's the budget? Do we have to spend it all now or can we use it across school years?

- What kind of professional development will faculty and staff need to feel welcome and confident and who will facilitate that?

I would start by seeing what faculty think and want. If you can get a few folks per division on board then they will help with the need finding and help you build buy in. You could also start with one aspect of Maker Ed and build from there, e.g. focus on digital fabrication for a while and add something else, or start with carpentry, or start with physical computing, or with textile arts. Eventually they can all be connected together. 

JD 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/k-12-fablabs/63C8C7E8-4E5D-4043-B514-F3A1C31A9C1B%40gmail.com.

[Jesse D Robinson]

Hi Abdou,

What Mark and JD said are absolutely correct, however sometimes you need to know what's out there in order to share a vision to stakeholders.  I am the Director of a Makerspace at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA.   I would be more than happy to host you for a few days if you were able to visit or give you a virtual tour and answer any questions you might have.

Jesse

[sbar...@ucc.on.ca]

Hi Abdou.

I teach MYP design in Toronto, and over the past 10 years, we have designed and built 3 separate design labs at our school to support our implementation of the MYP. We have since added an innovation space for our K-5 students as well. Our design program is centred around three streams - digital media, product design and coding and is taught as a stand-alone subject. I have attached a few photos showing two of our spaces. One is our fabrication space with the attached classroom (several 3D printers and our laser cutter are not visible), and the second is our digital media and coding space. I am happy to chat more if you are interested.

- Sarah Barclay

Middle Division Learning Leader, Design

Upper Canada College