Walk into an expensive "Innovation Lab" or High Tech Cutting Edge University Makerspace, and you'll probably see a laser cutter, a 3D printer or two, all kinds of expensive technology and the adjacent software and screens that make it possible.

That's cool.

But that's also a high barrier to entry.

Does it really have to be that way? And how did the maker movement come to sit so deep in pricey STEM territory?

You probably know I've always admired the work of Angela Stockman, writing makerspace pioneer. She's been on this podcast several times, and I love what she shares around having students build ideas across modes, using free or inexpensive materials to help them construct concepts, characters, and storylines.

In our interview a few years ago, she said: "When we ask kids to build, they typically come up with ideas they wouldn't have otherwise. When we ask kids to build and then talk about what they have built, the complexity of their ideas is usually higher." These feel like very worthwhile goals to me - kids coming up with innovative, complex ideas.

But let's be clear, we don't have to ask kids to build on a 3D printer or learn to code in order to help them extend and amplify their thinking through maker tools. Angela has always said that, but the proliferation of high tech makerspaces can be hard to drown out when thinking about this issue.

Making is not about having one specific tool. It's about what making can give to kids in terms of their development of ideas, as Stockman suggest above, and in their development as learners too (Cohen). When students make, they make choices, they make mistakes, they recover. Ideally, they develop new skills at the same time that they develop a growth mindset around iterating.

Today on the podcast, let's talk about a fun new free tool I've created for you to help your students build their ideas.

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Sources:

Ackermann, E. (2001). Piaget's Constructivism, Papert's Constructionism: What's the Difference? Future of Learning Group Publication, 5(3), 1-11.

Cohen, J. D., Jones, W. M., & Smith, S. (2018). Preservice and early career teachers' preconceptions and misconceptions about making in education. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(1), 31-42.

J, Jessie. "Price Tag." Spotify Lyrics. https://open.spotify.com/track/2vR1oGQdPfwJe4EVh8uNGc

Kretchmar, Jennifer. "Seymour Papert and Constructionism." EBESCO: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/seymour-papert-and-constructionism. 2021.

Potash, Betsy (Host). (2018, September 6). The Power of the Writing Makerspace, with Angela Stockman (No. 47). [Audio Podcast Episode]. In The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. https://nowsparkcreativity.com/2018/09/the-power-of-writing-makerspace-with.html

Smith, S. (2018). Children's Negotiations of Visualization Skills During a Design-Based Learning Experience Using Nondigital and Digital Techniques. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 12 (2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1747

Stockman, Angela. (2016). Make Writing: 5 Teaching Strategies That Turn Writer's Workshop into a Maker Space. Hack Learning Series.

TEDxTalk. (2013, January 10). Reimagining learning: Richard Culatta at TEDx Beacon Street [Video]. YouTube.