Open AccessDesigning a Makerspace for Pre- and In-Service Teachers
Author(s) -
Marguerite Koole,
Jordan Epp,
Kerry Ann Anderson,
Robert Hepner,
Mohammad Salim Hossain
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of designs for learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2159-449X
DOI - 10.14434/ijdl.v8i1.22703
Subject(s) - medical education , space (punctuation) , service (business) , pedagogy , test (biology) , psychology , sociology , mathematics education , medicine , computer science , business , paleontology , marketing , biology , operating system
Many educators view makerspaces as a means of increasing student engagement in K-12 classrooms. As faculty and staff of the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan, we have noted low comfort levels in using and experimenting with technology. For this reason, we decided to create a place in which pre-service teachers could test and discuss technologies that they could eventually use in their teaching practice. Our endeavor eventually morphed into a space for current teachers, student teachers, technical support staff, faculty members, and interested community members. Having piloted workshops for six months, we are now evaluating our decisions and shaping new approaches for the current academic year. Our main challenges include ensuring inclusivity across age, gender, and culture; adopting suitable facilitation styles; and ensuring the workshops lead to useful discussions of technology and teaching practice.