Case
studies

Teacher perspective

What inspired you to create a Makerspace?

• the idea of society discarding objects rather than fixing or upcycling them
• the desire to have learners as fixers and creative makers.

What are the benefits to learners?

• regaining lost skills in a modern context
• problem-solving skills with the responsibility being on individuals
• learning design processes
• collaboration and relationship building.
  

How did you get the Makerspace up and running?

• support from school leadership
• built on passions of teachers – tinkering rally driver and environmentalist
• put resources together of books to inspire children to take risks and develop language around Makerspace
• collected free materials to start making
• engaged support of parents and friends association to fundraise for some of the additional technology.
  

What are the challenges of running a Makerspace?

• time – finding time to run a Makerspace as an extra-curricular activity
• time in a crowded curriculum – important to cover curriculum outcomes
• the freedom and learner ownership needs time.
  

What would you do differently in setting up a Makerspace?

• not much – introduce the language of making and provide resources
• able to expose learners to tools and ideas through guided learning
• worked slowly, without spending a lot of money, to allow the Makerspace to grow organically.
  

Are there unexpected benefits elsewhere in school?

• flowed over to other areas of the curriculum
• teachers have engaged and brought maker ideas into their classes – prep teachers and learners inspired to make themselves.

What is the future for your Makerspace?

• planning a maker faire to reinvigorate Book Week
• putting in more formal time before and after school.