Makerspace or Spheros? : An Enlightening Conversation with Students

I have written many articles and blog posts about makerspaces, a place set aside in a classroom or at home, for pure imagination and discovery. Unencumbered by worksheets and expectations. Fostering cleverness, inventiveness and vision. To be able to look at a myriad of utensils and items and giggy rig or engineer a model to display just about anything. We have one in our classroom and students use it almost daily. They love to use play-doh and other hands-on materials to design and tinker. The smiles on their faces is beautiful as they dig through crates of recyclables, pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks and construction paper. A little glue here, a dab of tape there and voila' a model to demonstrate every science concept imaginable.

I bring out the I-pads and computers on occasion and they get excited for a bit, often feeling trapped within the confines of programming, they definitely prefer digits over digital. The tactile, viscous nature of clay and glue. The choice of color and texture of tissue paper or card stock. There is so much freedom and independence when it comes to a makerspace, its the spark of curiosity needed to explore, just by looking at the numerous tools and supplies. When an electronic device is placed in front of them, as expansive and informative as the Internet is, the assignments tend to be limiting. Power-point, Prezi, Web Quest etc. While, if you switch up the contents in the makerspace every now and then, even remove the glue and tape, it brings in a whole new set of possibilities and forces them to think outside the web and into the vastness of the rabbit hole.

I teach 7th grade and choice is a major component of our classroom. The makerspace is always an option. When I bring out the technology and simply say "create" two things generally take place: several groups will get a device, use it to research the topic but then go to the makerspace to build their concept or they skip the technology all together and find supplies, sketch their designs on paper and then fashion, formulate and forge. I was very curious about this, so I asked them, why is their preference for demonstration a makerspace? I could write an entire blog post on their responses, which varied from: control, independence, easier to manipulate and redesign, the collaborative aspect of a makerspace, play-doh, crayons, more artistic and the most common response- fun. I asked them if having a device at home, phone, Nintendo DS, tablet etc. made a difference in their choice?

What I discovered is that the more submerged into technology they are outside of my classroom the less likely they want to use it in my classroom. I have even heard the phrase "I am bored of the same old technology in school." Often teachers think if they bring in technology it will definitely engage students. But from my survey, which I gave out several times throughout the year in all my classes, I discovered in moderation they appreciate it but they truly love to get hands-on and dirty with glitter, clay and even finger paint. Believe it or not I added some finger paints into our makerspace and it was enlightening to see them hark back to elementary school. Ultimately kids want to be kids and a makerspace sets them up to do just that. Tinker, play, design and create to their hearts content.

This week I have been a teacher at our "Science Through Time" summer camp at the Shaw Steam Center. This camp is for inbound 4th and 5th graders. Several years younger than my students. Each day this group of 90 students is rotating in groups of about 15 through 5 different 30 minute blocks of activities. They have been covering all aspects of science: Ecology, Chemistry, Biology and even Physics. They made crystals, flying machines, wind-powered cars and solar ovens. They raced Spheros, created slime and even made stop-motion videos demonstrating dams and flooding. Each day I have been the makerspace activity teacher.

Throughout the week, I have asked each group several questions: do you prefer making things from scratch or on the computer? Would you like to use technology-digital or your hands-digits today to create something? It was an overwhelming response- makerspace, hands-on, cardboard and crayons. At the end of each day, when asked as a large group, their favorite activity has always been a makerspace activity. Yesterday they made bottle rockets, makerspace style and then got to race them. The combination of create and race was the perfect combination of cooperation, competition and community. Each group being cheered on by their peers. A fantastic and energetic activity.

Today rather than using Spheros I had students create a toy using recyclables, an endless supply of arts and crafts and their imaginations. They were thrilled and I think it made them refocus on the simplicity of just cutting and pasting, coloring and playing. A makerspace is universal. They were giggling and laughing and had so much fun. They actually created some pretty cool toys. The only instructions I gave them- make a toy with a movable part. This is what they came up with. I appreciated the time to just sit and observe (in between the glue gun and drill moments) because it helped me put it all into perspective. Children are incredibly inventive, they are adaptable and malleable and can literally make something from nothing. Some paper towel rolls, cardboard, tooth picks etc. and they created a toy they are proud of not because it is cool, but because they were given the opportunity to design and construct it from scratch, the process was the gift and they got a personalized novelty they will share and enjoy- at least until it breaks.