STEAM
What Makes a Great Makerspace?
As schools across the country are demonstrating, makerspaces aren’t just about technology. They’re about giving outlet to students’ creativity. Spaces can be as elaborate as sophisticated machine shops or as simple as libraries converted to support hands-on learning.
The maker education movement has sparked a minor revolution in K–12 STEAM education. A growing number of schools and entire districts across the country are implementing dedicated, in-school makerspaces — sometimes called STEAM labs or fab labs — where students are encouraged to experiment, invent and tinker with a range of materials and technologies. But what constitutes an effective in-school makerspace?
“A makerspace is more of a mindset than a toolset,” said Casey Shea, curriculum…
