If you open up a publication from any school admin organization, you are sure to see some form of maker space. In a world where technology is constantly changing the way we do things, people are finally realizing that it’s time to reinvent the classroom.

What are the benefits of these new types of learning environments, and are they worth putting into your school?

Before we can answer those questions, try to think back to the days you were in school. Were you constantly focused on what the teacher had to say or did you lose focus after a few minutes? Were you distracted easily, or simply not interested in what was being taught?

These are the struggles every teacher faces. Keeping a student consistently engaged in what you are trying to teach can pose a challenge, especially with all of the distractions in an ordinary classroom.

What if you could engage that student on an entirely different level – engage them on a level where they want to give their full undivided attention to the task at hand? Well, you start by changing the environment in which they are learning.

By making the learning environment fun, you are in sense providing the students with “educational distractions”. This new environment engages the students both mentally and visually. The students feel more creative and are more eager to express their interest in the project at hand when there is a colorful, exciting environment around them.

Students want the opportunity to express themselves, why not give them an environment where they can both express themselves, and learn? This is exactly what these maker spaces are doing for students.

Not only do these environments make learning fun for the students, but they also making teaching fun for the teacher! Seeing your students actually interested and thoroughly involved in their assignment is sure to evoke a sense of pride, knowing you’ve provided that student with the tools they need to succeed.

These skills the students are learning in these creative environments are translating directly to real-world, problem-solving solving skills that they will use when working for high tech companies like a Google or Uber.

Maker spaces are providing students with the opportunity to create their own hands-on projects while using new tools and technologies along the way. Students are now learning by doing, not being read to or lectured on how to do something; but physically implementing what they have mentally conceived and examined.

Students learn that it is okay to fail because failing leads to learning. At first, when a project does not work the way you intend, you head back to the drawing board and adapt. These lessons cannot be taught to a student, the student must learn these lessons on their own in an environment that provides them with the proper tools.

Departing from the traditional classroom environment may seem odd at first; however, the demand of a society that is constantly adapting to new technology requires innovative solutions. It is time we bring that technology to our classrooms.

 

Copyright, Inventionland 2017