Getting the Most of Your Makerspace Investments

GETTING THE MOST OF YOUR MAKERSPACE INVESTMENTSKAROLINE MANNYTECHNOLOGY MANAGERSCOTT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

What do

we use?

TOTAL INVESTMENT

≈ $1000

Squishy Circuits: $25Snap Circuits SC-300 Electronics Discovery Kit: $50Osmo Gaming System for iPad Genius Kit: $99Various iPad apps: $5 or less eachMake it yourself Drone Kit: $25Model Rockets: $20 for three

Q-Ba-Maze 2.0 Big Box: $49Wonder Workshop Dash and Dot Robot Pack: $189Cubelet Robots: $159Ollie Robotic Balls: $99littleBits Electronics Deluxe Kit: $199Makey makey: $49

PassivePrograms

ActivePrograms

Displays

ChallengesCheckout

How do we

use it?

DISPLAYS

DISPLAYS

DISPLAYS

DISPLAYSTo maximize the effectiveness of displays:• Make sure they are interactive somehow.• Use them to highlight a connection between the

technology and the collection.

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

PASSIVE PROGRAMSIn a supervised area:• Put out a “Task

Card”• Put out the partsWatch the fun!Tips for success:• Keep the “tasks” simple and

quick• Use tasks that teach parts of

the whole• If possible, provide a way for

patrons to ‘take their creation home’ (ex. an iPad to take a picture to post on Facebook or email)

CHECK OUTIn a bag or box we include:• The technology• The task cards (all of

them)• A book and/or video on

the topic• A “what’s in the bag”

check list

Tips for success:• We don’t check out anything

above $100• Label all your parts clearly• Stick to items that are neatly

compartmentalized

ACTIVE PROGRAMSMakerspace Mondays Makerspace MadnessTake It Home TuesdaysThoroughly Scientific Thursdays• We rotate themes (Electricity/Circuits,

Robots & Coding, Engineering, Aeronautics, Light Painting, Writing & Graphic Novels are our current themes).

• We rotate age groups (Tweens, Teens, Adults).

• The programs are regularly scheduled.

ACTIVE PROGRAMSWhat do we do in the programs?At each program we:• Have stations with different products on the

theme• Start with a 5-10 minute ‘how do these things

work’ demonstration• Progress to a 10-20 minute ‘free play’ with task

cards• End with a “Challenge Task”Sometimes, like for Makerspace Madness, we have prizes!Sometimes, like for Take It Home Tuesday, the participants get to keep what they make in some form.

CHALLENGESThe Key To Success with most Makerspace Activities

Challenge pre-requisites:• Clearly present the fundamentals of a discreet

learning outcome. (ex. What makes a structure stable? What is polarity in an electronic circuit? What is the purpose of an If/Then statement in programming? What gives an airplane lift?)

• Make sure participants know how the ‘stuff’ works.

CHALLENGESThe Key To Success with most Makerspace Activities

ID the problem Brainstorm Design Build Share Redesign

Test andEvaluate

The Engineering Design Process

CHALLENGESThe Key To Success with most Makerspace ActivitiesChallenge design:• The challenge should consist of criterion and constraints• Using X material or amount of material, accomplish XYZ• In X amount of time, accomplish XYZ• Create a ______ that will _____ for _______ measurement • How many solutions can you design in X time • How many designs can you make from one material

• Have some of the goals be more subjective to encourage creativity (prettiest, most unique)

• Combine skills/knowledge from multiple ‘lessons.’

CHALLENGESThe Key To Success with most Makerspace ActivitiesDuring the challenge:• Have the participants work in teams.• Don’t show examples first (it squelches creativity/originality).• Start with a brainstorming sessions; make a “no idea is too silly” rule; and

insist on multiple solutions before building begins.• Also set a time limit on planning vs. getting into action. • Before building, talk about which brainstormed solutions are most

achievable given limits on materials, tools and time. Ask questions about how ‘wild’ ideas might be adapted to these constraints.

• When building, to help participants discover answers for themselves, ask: What have you tried? How did it work? Why do you think it didn’t work? What else could you do?

• When building, encourage participants to remember that failures are part of the process—a good part because they are what show us where to improve!

CHALLENGESThe Key To Success with most Makerspace ActivitiesAfter the challenge:• Ask each team to describe their solution, pointing out

problems that came up along the way and how they solved them.

• Let them critique each other, pointing out strengths and weaknesses.

• Incorporate some kind of reward (from posting results on website/facebook/youtube in the form of pictures or videos to prizes).

• Ask questions like: What did all the designs have in common and why? What is the best feature of each design and why? What would you change if you had more time/materials?

REFERENCES

http://www-tc.pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_Act_Guide_complete.pdfhttp://childhood101.com/2014/08/create-an-engineering-mystery-bag-challenge-for-kids/http://childhood101.com/2014/06/5-construction-challenges-for-kids-stem/http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2012/09/stem-takes-flight-airplane-science/http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/p/all-things-steam.htmlAnd I’m not ashamed to admit it: PINTEREST! Lots of time on Pinterest! (Too much time on Pinterest!)