This is the eighth and final episode of the Passing Notes Podcast Tech Series and we are focusing on the STEAM world of Makerspace!
A makerspace is a collaborative space where students can explore the STEAM world around them. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math and offers students open-ended opportunities to explore the 21st century skills that will prepare them for their future. STEAM is hands-on and involves the use of critical thinking skills.
For this episode, I interviewed Chris Smith. Chris is the Director of Early Childhood for Enid Public Schools. In her work she supports early childhood educators in the classroom to improve instruction and provide the best, developmentally appropriate practices for young children. Chris and her teachers have created a superb makerspace for their students. In the makerspace the students use this area to create and explore the world around them.
Below are the questions I prepared to ask Chris (there were some follow up questions in the podcast that are not included below):
- Introduce yourself (background/experience)
- Tell us about what you do?
- What is a makerspace?
- How can teachers use makespace to teach core STEM and STEAM principles to their students?
- What does a teacher need to get started in their Makerspace? What items and materials need to go into a Makerspace?
- Where should teachers start?
- What should teachers add over time?
- Do materials depend on age group?
- How should a teacher introduce Makespace time to their students?
- What routines and procedures need to be put in place beforehand?
- What setbacks keep teachers from having a makerspace time?
- How can teachers pull in other content areas into a makerspace area?
- What advice/cautions do you have for teachers just getting started in makerspace?
- What are you excited about in the world of ed tech?
- What are your go-to resources?