MAKERS IN THE MIDDLE
WHY A MAKERSPACE?
As a group of five enthusiastic Australian teacher-librarians, we are dedicated to collaborating with inspirational, like-minded teacher-librarians in creating innovative makerspaces for young people in the Middle Years. By having opportunities available to allow children to explore a multitude of hands-on materials and tools, it encourages children to learn through collaboration, to invent, to tinker with and make a variety of different things they choose to explore (Martinez & Stager, 2013).
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Engaging in tinkering and making are engaging and fun ways to learn, which we highlight throughout our “Makers in the Middle” connected community. “Making is about the active role construction plays in learning” (Martinez & Stager, 2013). We hope to explore the active role that constructing with tools and materials provides for learners, through exploring such makerspace materials of robotics, craft, coding and electronics, indicating the curriculum links from the Australian curriculum, and possible setting up requirements for beginners. We have also provided links for our connected learning community, to engage with other like-minded professionals (see below).
As discussed in Matrinez & Stager, (2013), “every classroom can become a makerspace where kids and teachers learn together through direct experience with an assortment of high– and low- tech materials.” We endeavour to provide our connected community with a range of ideas to help build a makerspace community within your own school library hub.
WHY MIDDLE SCHOOL?
The Makers in the Middle team have been amazed at the level of engagement middle school students are having with our makerspaces. As students reach adolescence, their need for independent thought and expression increases. Makerspace environments foster student thought and expression through their student centred approach, collaboration and real world learning experiences
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Images by Makers in the Middle authors
References:
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Garcia, R., Plough, B. (2015) Whole School English Reform: A Heuristic Approach to Professional Learning in Middle Schools. Planning and Changing, 46 (1). Retrieved from http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/1719448792?accountid=13380
Kajder, S. (2010). Adolescents and digital literacies. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English.
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Martinez, S. & Stager, G. (2013). Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Torrance: Constructing Modern Knowledge Press.
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National Report on Schooling in Australia. (2009). National Initiatives and Achievements: 2.4 Enhancing middle years development. Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/nrosia2009/national-initiatives-and-achievements/middle-years-development
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