Life Hack: The STEM Makerspace

Addressing common mistakes to save time and money

Written by: Andrew B. Raupp / @stemceo

For STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) learning to be truly effective, it must be both a minds-on and hands-on endeavor. The reality of our fast-paced world is that it’s impossible to prepare students for the jobs of the future simply by teaching them rote content and subject matter. The computer science course taught today will be outdated in just a few years.

Enter the makerspace. Makerspaces are collaborative workspaces designed to bring people together to solve problems. They typically offer a range of tools and supplies, from basic building blocks and art supplies to 3D printers and laser cutters. For STEM students, makerspaces provide opportunities to explore electronics, engineering, coding, and more — all in the name of building a real solution to a particular problem.

Common Pitfalls of Designing a Makerspace

Makerspaces are exciting places for learning and building community, so it’s no wonder they’ve become so popular. But successful makerspaces require careful planning and a willingness to go slowly.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to fill their new makerspace with the latest and greatest gadgets they can find. These are often expensive and untested: Just because a company is selling something exciting doesn’t mean it’s a must-have. Too often STEM products are designed with very narrow uses that will limit their appeal to students, while flexible classics like Lego bricks and magnetic blocks will get plenty of use.

The best way to approach purchases is with careful research. Start with basic tools and materials first, and gradually make bigger investments over time. This allows you to follow students’ lead as the personality of your program begins to form. Try before you buy, and always seek out multiple opinions about any item under consideration. This includes student and educator feedback, not just information from the sales rep.

School-Based STEM Makerspace

Every school building and community is different, so every makerspace will be different. But there are some best practices to follow as you develop a makerspace for your school.

1. Choose a location that’s accessible to everyone. The school library is a great choice because it’s available to all, but any open space that all subject teachers have access to can work.

2. Design for inclusion and collaboration. Choose furniture that can be reconfigured for different types of collaboration, and make sure to consider students with mobility issues and other disabilities.

3. Consider the qualities of the room. Lighting, temperature, air quality, layout, and even paint colors should be conducive to learning, but these are almost never considered. Ideally, look for a spot with lots of natural light, numerous outlets, a utility sink and white or very light wall paint. Washable floors are a must!

4. Decide what type of projects you’ll focus on. Ideally, makerspaces are flexible, but limited budgets mean you’ll have to start with a specific focus. Will yours be about coding, woodworking, or cardboard creations? Electronics or paper modeling? You have to start somewhere!

5. Invest in a curriculum. To lay the groundwork for learning, you’ll need to establish clear expectations of behavior, effort, and care of the space. It can help to start with an existing curriculum or lesson plans to get started and inspire you to develop your own challenges and activities.

6. Plan for expansion. It pays to have a strategy for adding new tools and materials to your makerspace. Keep researching and planning. The more you do ahead of time, the easier it will be to budget and raise funds to help you grow.

STEM Makerspaces: Home Edition

For parents, setting up a makerspace at home takes a little creativity. If you have a spare room, you can consider setting it up using some of the tips for classrooms. Adding a child-size work table and chairs, plus cabinets and bins for organizing materials will help keep things tidy, especially if you also use the room as a den or playroom.

If you don’t have a room to spare, try outfitting a cart with clear bins of building materials, art supplies, and a few high-quality STEM toys. When it’s time for making, roll that cart into the kitchen and use the counter or table for a workspace. A good clip-on table lamp can add light if needed.

While many children will let their imaginations run wild, some need prompting. Help kids get started by providing maker challenges to solve. Examples include building the fastest rollercoaster track, the strongest drinking straw bridge, or the tallest block tower. You can also ask your kids to solve real problems, like finding ways to conserve water around the house or to get the dog more exercise. Having an “assignment” or challenge can be a great way to spark creativity and focus your child’s efforts.

Vernon Hills-based, hand2mind has created a series of free resources for learning at home, including several STEM prompts and projects. These activities can be done with materials found in your home and are a great way to facilitate and encourage creative thinking. They allow young learners to bring their design ideas to life through practical, do-it-yourself building tasks.

Whether at school or in the home, makerspaces provide a place for creative problem solving, experimentation, and scientific thought. Start with a few basics that allow kids to build first, and scale up as you can. In fact, your young makers are sure to have ideas about how to expand that you haven’t even thought of — a sign that they are growing into resourceful, STEM-minded adults.

This article was originally featured in The STEM.org Informer?: A Newsweek Publication on May 8th, 2020 and updated for Medium & Data Driven Investor on June 7th, 2020.

Andrew B. Raupp is the Founder / Executive Director @stemdotorg. “Democratizing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education through sound policy & practice… We apply STEM to better understand it.”

Image Credit: 

• Photo 1: Getty# 514404636 / Young Woman Holding Tablet
• Photo 2: Getty# 923297324 / Zen Makerspace
• Photo 3: Getty# 1190789701 / Boy Woodworking With His Dog
• Photo 4: Getty# 1170466424 / Open Workshop
• Photo 5: Getty# 824575012 / Father And Daughter Coloring
• Photo 6: Getty# 1146552979 / Boy In Makerspace Tinkering

Licenses purchased on June 7th, 2020 from Getty Images and credited chronologically.