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I recently was asked to give a webinar that would guide participants through selecting the right products for their makerspace, where I unveiled my “Worlds of Making 'MAKER' Framework.” I was really excited about this opportunity, as it gave me the chance to address one of the questions I am most frequently asked.
In my work with schools across the country, I have shied away from telling people what they should buy in their makerspace, although many want to know from me what they should buy. I strongly believe in following a process for how you and go about selecting the right products for your makerspace.
My definition of what a makerspace is drives every decision I make for my makerspace, and that includes selecting the right products for my makerspace. Many people associate the Maker Movement with ‘stuff’ like 3D printers, but in my opinion, this isn’t what pushes children outside of their comfort zone, it is that opportunity for open-ended exploration that is key. When creating a makerspace, many school districts just go out and buy things that other districts buy, really in essence, just replicating another school districts makerspace.
But here’s the reality: no two school makerspaces should be exactly alike because no two school communities are exactly alike.
