ISCI 761 M11: Blog Share

A blog I discovered was Stump the Teacher and the post I read was "Lessons from the Library Makerspace" by Josh Stumpenhorst. Stumpenhorst no longer uses the Blogger account so if you are interest in what he has to say he updates his new blog at the website here. At the time of publishing this blog entry, Stumpenhorst was discussing how he was evolving his practice as a librarian at a Junior High School and as a Learning Commons Director. He recalls that his gets questioned about the inclusion of a makerspace and responds that the maker space is not always connected to the core curriculum. The idea of a vibrant and busy creative space is contradictory to the stereotypical notion of the library as a quiet and isolated space. In my opinion, the latter doesn't work for today's learners as much as the former. Students today use technology and collaborate with peers across nations in ways that weren't dreamed about when libraries were first constructed and in order to keep up with the needs of the library population.

Still, Stumpenhorst states that these questions and concerns are fair and sometimes accurate. His article is divided into sections discussing the necessity of makerspace technology such as 3D printers and the role of makerspaces in core curriculum and the traditional library space. 3D printers are nice and open the door for a lot of creative options but are not required for a makerspace to be successful. The makerspace can have as much high-tech as can be afforded and still not foster creativity. Lauren Britton supported this point in her article "Making Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption." She states "there is no set list of equipment or programming required to make a space successful ... the list of equipment and materials will naturally grow as specific projects and programs generate new needs" (Britton, 2012). 

"Someone who wants to do something because it is fun is more likely to find an activity to be meaningful than someone who is doing something for a reward or to learn something. When someone is engaged in a playful space, that person will learn more easily. Creating playful information-based spaces allows the learner to explore and engage with content on the learner’s terms instead of on the instructor’s terms."

- Scott Nicholson, Strategies for Meaningful Gamification: Concepts Behind Transformative Play and Participatory Museums (Britton, 2012)

The lesson learned by use if the makerspace is one of patience, rethinking, creativity, and failure - which can be learned regardless of specific techn materials. These lessons are powerful in their own right and don't always need to be connected to the curriculum. I agree with Stumpenhorst that the makerspace connection to the core curriculum is nice but not always necessary. Students are still learning valuable skills even if the mathematics or scientific standard is not present or obvious. Also, the makerspaces, according to Stumpenhorst, attract student traffic to the library and, as a result, circulation of the library materials increases. While a quiet space of the library is important, it is also important for the library to have a space for exploration, creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

"Simply bringing kids into the library has allowed me to engage them in conversations about everything, including reading. Just as a teacher who builds a positive relationship with a kid can get them to do their work, a librarian who builds those positive relationships can get a kid to read anything."

- Josh Stumpenhorst

There are two sources for makerspace project ideas: MakeItAtYourLibrary.org (n.d.) and the Makerspace Playbook (2013). Chapter 8 of the playbook is about activities and suggests required materials. The rest of the book is good for inspiring thought about how to start and grow your library makerspace. Both Make It At Your Library and Renovated learning are websites that offer suggestions and how-to's for makerspace activities.

References:

Britton, L. (2012). "Making Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption." The Library Journal, reprinted The Digital Shift, www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/10/public-services/the-makings-of-maker-spaces-part-1-space-for-creation-not-just-consumption/. 

Make It At Your Library. (2022). Make It @ Your Library, makeitatyourlibrary.org/.

Makerspace Playbook: School Edition. (2013). Makerspace, makered.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Makerspace-Playbook-Feb-2013.pdf.

Renovated Learning. (2022). Renovated Learning: Building a Culture of Creativity + Discovery in Education, www.renovatedlearning.com/.

Stumpenhorst,  J. (2018). "Lessons from the Library Makerspace." Stump the Teacher, stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2018/02/as-i-continue-to-evolve-in-my-role-as.html.