MOBILE MAKERSPACE IN CORE CLASSROOMS 1

EDLD 5314

Review of the Literature

Implementing a mobile makerspace

By Eric McGaha
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Introduction:

Engagement and motivation in a traditional teacher-led core classroom is decreasing according to

Safaruddin, et. al (2020). However, a marked growth in motivation can be attributed to participation in a

project-based makerspace environment (Duke, et al 2021). Traditionally speaking, a makerspace is a

room or building with a multitude of tools and methods for creating. This makerspace model is monetarily

restrictive to most public schools so in this paper the author will present the idea of making the

makerspace accessible to all students by making it mobile.

What is a makerspace?

As defined by Smay & Walker (2017) a makerspace is a place for students to explore questions and to

collaborate with other students in a safe environment that supports making. Where as a maker, posited

by Barton et al (2016) is a do-it-your-self hobbyist, engineer, or artist that builds designs of their own

either playful, or of useful ends. These makerspaces are physical spaces providing access to tools,

technology, and resources as well as changing the way educators envision teaching and learning

Compeau (2018). A makerspace is generally a large room with access to tools to build things. Apart from

the physical description, a makerspace is a place of learning skills that are adaptable to other areas of

life. Cooperation, or working toward a common goal is a huge part of the makerspace environment (Dick

2020).

Innovation:

Change in the way of thinking and of learning is at the heart of the maker movement. According to

Sheffield et al (2017) the 21st century includes a shift in the skill sets that are needed in this rapidly

advancing world. Barton (2016) says that we must provide students with room for inquiry, problem

solving, and collaboration in order to build a strong background in STEM topics which are all imperative
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to building these 21st century skills. With this change in skills needed there needs to be a change in the

way these skills are taught. The educational community has been shifting focus to how to how to

integrate cognitive, social, and communication skills that is so important now in the workforce

(Vongkulluksn, et al 2018). Makerspaces strengthen the connections between the curriculum of

mathematics, science, and technology and the end product (Sheffield et al 2017). They also provide a

learning environment that is useful toward integrating technology into the classroom (Miller 2017). This

technology affects participants’ attitudes and confidence levels in STEM activities (Miller & Cline 2017).

Including technology such as electronic media in a makerspace increases the motivation to learn

(Safaruddin, et al 2020). Incorporating this technology will also increase the overall engagement of

students that are participating (Sinha et al 2018).

Opportunity:

America has always been a nation of tinkerers, inventors, and entrepreneurs (Obama 2014). Yet there

are many students who are not afforded the opportunity to explore those abilities. With a mobile

makerspace, the opportunities increase. Without a growing pool of STEM talent with emphasis upon the

“E”, the Bureau of Statistics projects that the U.S. will have a difficult time filling the demands for STEM

professionals Banks-Hunt (2016). The opportunity is there, it just needs to be exposed. The purpose of a

mobile makerspace is providing an outreach of STEM to all students through their core classrooms, and

therefore to all students including those underrepresented and underserviced groups in order to

increase the diversity in STEM Compeau (2018). Since learning is a social and cultural process, we must

disrupt this cycle of racial and cultural inequity in STEM Kye (2020). Of course, there are other obstacles

to implementing a makerspace. The first and foremost was accessibility. But making a makerspace

mobile solves that issue. The next issue to tackle is the organizational resistance (Braßler 2020).

Education has been, and continues to be stuck in a mire of doing things the way they’ve always been
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done. Yet different results are expected. Most teachers won’t implement any form of PBL or

makerspace due to unfamiliarity (Braßler 2020). This issue can be addressed by making teachers and

admin familiar with the concept of a makerspace and its potential for authentic learning. According to

Santos et al (2020) teachers need to experience the makerspace in order to teach with it. Braßler (2020)

also found that a lack of common terminology among teachers can lead to a failed makerspace

experience due to student confusion. A makerspace can be an informal or formal learning space, but

what makes it significant is the instruction and guidance that happens during a project. A makerspace

lesson provides the perfect vessel to provide feedback, reflection, and revision (King & Smith 2020).

Without some form of feedback or reflection, a makerspace is nothing more than a craft center or

playground.

Conclusion:

The core of the maker movement parallels the best practices of STEM education Taylor (2016). The

purpose of my makerspace is to encourage students to learn beyond the classroom and thereby

increasing their interest and their confidence in STEM education. Learning soft skills such as teamwork

and collaboration in a makerspace is easier and more effective (Dick 2020). So many students do not

realize their potential due to a fear of failure, or a lack of self-efficacy. Access to a makerspace has the

ability to eliminate that factor from a student’s learning environment and provide a much more

significant and authentic experience.

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References

Banks-Hunt, J. M., Adams, S., Ganter, S., & Bohorquez, J. C. (2016, October). K-12 STEM Education:

Bringing the engineering maker space, student-centered learning, curriculum, and teacher

training to middle schools. In 2016 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.

Barton, A. C., Tan, E., & Greenberg, D. (2016). The makerspace movement: Sites of possibilities for

equitable pportunities to engage underrepresented youth in STEM. Teachers College

Record, 119(6), 11-44.

Compeau, S. (2018). Designing a mobile makerspace: A strategy for increasing diversity by offering

engineering outreach workshops to underrepresented youth. Proceedings of the Canadian

Engineering Education Association (CEEA).

Kye, H. (2020). Who Is Welcome Here? A Culturally Responsive Content Analysis of Makerspace

Websites. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER), 10(2), 1.

Miller, J., & Cline, T. (2017, March). Effect of Makerspace Professional Development Activities on

Elementary and Middle School Educator Perceptions of Integrating Technologies with STEM.

In Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 103-

111). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Obama, B. (2014). Obama Whitehouse Archives. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/nation-of-

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Sheffield, R., Koul, R., Blackley, S., & Maynard, N. (2017). Makerspace in STEM for girls: A physical space

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