Contents

A. Introduction

B. Objectives

C. What is a makerspace?

D. Why do we need to create a

makerspace? .

E. Who are the makers at AISM? ..

F. Where can we put up a

makerspace? .......

G. What resources do we need to start

a makerspace?

H. What kinds of activities take place in

a makerspace?

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I. How do we address the challenges in

starting a makerspace? ...............................

13

J. How can we efficiently run a

makerspace? ................................................

14

References .

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A. Introduction

In an atmosphere where they can freely explore, students

naturally discover that the magic is in their hands.
Thinking and tinkering definitely does not take place
only in the science lab, art room, computer room or
workshop.
The idea of an informal learning hub on campus where
students can possibly build, dissect or fiddle with anything
of their interest is increasingly gaining ground in many
elementary and middle schools. As the American
International School of Mozambique (AISM) gears up for
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)-related
initiatives, our budding builders, designers, and inventors
eventually will have to find their own niche beyond the
classroom.
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B. Objectives
This guidebook aims to introduce the idea of makerspace at
AISM. By using this guidebook, teachers, parents and
activity facilitators will:
Describe the general background and overview of the
maker movement
Justify the need for a makerspace at AISM
Identify the target users and facilitators for a
makerspace
Locate a suitable place in the campus for a makerspace
List the initial set of resources necessary to create a
makerspace
Brainstorm on the kinds of activities that can be initially
done with a start-up makerspace
Address possible concerns and challenges in starting a
makerspace at AISM
Draft preliminary guidelines for running the proposed
makerspace at AISM

C. What is a makerspace?
Making is the core
concept of a makerspace. A
makerspace (or alternately
dubbed as hackerspace) is
an organized interest center
in a community or a school
where
hobbyists
and
enthusiasts design, build
and test materials-based
projects of their choice. The
DIY (do-it-yourself) culture
also serves as a major influence of the maker movement.
Makerspace projects are often a combination of ideas and
inspiration drawn from art, science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
While community-based makerspaces have been in
existence for quite some time, their integration into schools
is fairly recent. A big event called a Makerfaire is also
organized periodically in different places to stage exhibits
and hold design competitions.

How do you think a makerspace compare to a

traditional workshop?
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D. Why do we need a makerspace?

A makerspace fosters creativity and design thinking.
Students iteratively design, create and test prototypes for
products or solutions based on their interests.
Because the makerspace is not
directly tied to classroom
academics, students tend to
freely and naturally carry out
investigations while learning
organizational and planning
skills. A makerspace also
allows interdisciplinary topics
and
multi-age/multi-level
collaboration. Students who
share the same interests can easily become project buddies.

How does a makerspace cultivate student inquiry

and collaboration in preparation for the following
AISM activities?
a. Primary Years Programme (PYP) 5th Grade
Exhibition?
b. Middle Years Programme (MYP) 10th Grade
Personal Project?
c. International Schools of Southern and Eastern
Africa (ISSEA) robotics challenge?
d. Inter-school science fairs?
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E. Who are the makers at AISM?

While makers come from
different ages, the start-up
makerspace at AISM is
intended for use primarily
by elementary and middle
school students. They are
identified as evidently the
age groups that are mostly
into constructive play and
interactions.
Teachers, parents and volunteers also have important roles
in a makerspace. They can serve as facilitators who can
guide the daily operation and maintenance. Guest experts
on specific topics can also be invited on special sessions to
share insights and experiences.

How do you spot a maker? List specific traits that

will characterize a student maker.

F. Where can we put up a makerspace?

While a separate room can be entirely allotted for a

makerspace, it is usually set up as a section in the library or
commons just as done in many schools. Using a makerspace
as a learning center or nook based in an elementary
classroom is another option.
Because a makerspace is intended to be a busy student
hub, functionally, it should have enough space for work
areas and storage of materials and equipment. A
makerspace the size of a classroom is ideal in that it can
certainly accommodate a good number of students.

What are the pros and cons of putting up a

makerspace in the library? Which place in the
campus do you think could be a good alternative
for putting up a makerspace? Why?

G. What resources do we need to start a

makerspace?
A
makerspace
practically
dabbles on just any type of
materials and tools. It still
ought to have traditional
student construction items
such
as
cardboards,
construction papers, scissors,
glue, rulers and punchers,
among other things. It also
makes use of common
workshop tools the likes of
hammer, saw, screwdriver,
clamps and other carpentry
tools. Amongst the typical
electronic paraphernalia a
makerspace might also have
include
electric
testers,
batteries, switches, motors,
LEDs (light emitting diodes),
resistors, circuit boards, bread
boards and many others. At the
higher end, well-equipped
makerspaces
likewise
showcase computer aided
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design/manufacture (CAD/CAM) programs, 3D printers,

laser cutters, robotics and open source physical computing
microcontroller kits such as Arduinos, Raspberry Pi, and the
likes. The general idea is that a wide range of tools and
equipment for design and construction is accessible to
student makers.
Yet, more than having the resources, a makerspace is really
about being resourceful. At AISM, we may not instantly
gather all the necessary stuff for a fully functional
makerspace, but even as on a shoestring we can certainly
start with what we already have. A makerspace will even
serve its purpose better if we start with recycled materials.
We can definitely have a use for the unwanted stuff from
the science labs, art rooms and workshops. Students can
also bring broken toys, gadgets and whatnot. They can
repair, refurbish, combine or completely recreate products
from old stuff. In time, they can even form a student-run
helpdesk now becoming popularly adopted in established
makerspaces.

The makerspace environment should be conducive and

flexible for collaborations and other work arrangements.
Movable tables with wheels allow students to choose to
work independently or in teams. Foldable desks, tables,
cabinets and toolkits likewise efficiently use workspace. If
there are limited areas for designing and drawing, the room
walls can be made writable just like whiteboards so that
students can easily transcribe ideas practically anywhere in
the room. There should also be a lot of bulletin boards for
easy posting and exchange of ideas.

In order of importance, list 10 materials and

equipment that you think are the most necessary in
order to start a makerspace at AISM.

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H. What kinds of activities take place

in a makerspace?
There is no limit to what a
student can make in a
makerspace. The whole
atmosphere promotes active
generation and re-mixing of
ideas. From 3D printing
simple toys to sewing
wearable
circuits
to
programming robots, a
makerspace capitalizes on
the students passion and interests so that they can skillfully
design and create purposeful products or solutions.
Facilitators might not be well-versed with the nature of
specific projects but their primary role is to be a guide on
the side. They facilitate the process by helping student
makers to identify specific
needs and goals, survey the
available resources, analyze
existing
products
and
iteratively design, build and
test prototypes.
While the makerspace is open
to a host of diverse projects,
facilitators and participants
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may also agree on a theme or concept to focus on for a

period of time. For instance, facilitators may pose an openended design challenge/problem for participants to solve:
How can we make Mozambican tourist souvenir items shine
brighter in the market? Students will then conceptualize
projects such as key chains with embedded LEDs, or a
kinetic souvenir display, or fridge magnets with glow-in-thedark effects.
Students usually get project ideas from varied sources such
as craft books, hobbyist magazines and maker blogs, but
they can also draw inspiration from personal experiences or
consultations with experts. The following websites devoted
to the maker movement will also be helpful:

Makershed: http://www.makershed.com/
Makezine: http://makezine.com/
Instructables: http://www.instructables.com/

Describe 5 unique and useful projects middle school

students can create with empty plastic water
bottles?

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I. How can we address the challenges?

in starting a makerspace?
Apart from organizing the location, the following important
aspects must also be considered:
a. schedule/time of operation
b. scouting for teacher or parent facilitators
c. prior skills of participants
d. budget and procurement of materials and other
supplies
e. promotion of the makerspace
f. others

Discuss how each aspect above can be addressed or

resolved at AISM.
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J. How can we efficiently run a

makerspace?

It is important that the rules and agreement on usage and

safety are laid out from the start. Guidelines on storage,
cleaning and sharing must be drafted and discussed to
students and facilitators during orientation meetings.

Write 5 specific essential agreements that you think

students should follow when using the makerspace.
at AISM.

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References
1. ISTE:
http://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=103&ca
tegory=ISTE-Connects-blog&article=Create-a-schoolmakerspace-in-3-simple-steps
2. http://blogs.csdvt.org/lookinside/2014/08/11/orderingon-a-shoestring/
3. http://designmaketeach.com/2014/04/07/makerspacestarter-kit/
4. https://www.inventables.com/projects/5000makerspace
5. http://www.makershed.com/products/makerspace-in-abox-tools-only
6. http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/02/want-to-starta-makerspace-at-school-tips-to-get-started/
7. http://www.digitalharbor.org/resources/classroommakerspace/
Note:

The target audience for the material includes

teachers, parents, after-school activity facilitators,
the librarian and the school principal.
The images in this draft will be included in the final
work.
The references in this draft will be in proper
citations format in the final work.

15

Notes