Makerspaces, while not a new concept, have been popping up with greater prevalence in young learners’ lives. But what is a makerspace? How does it fit into an academic curriculum? Previously home-ec, shop, and art classes have been venues to tinker and experiment within schools, but now educators are embracing makerspaces across all disciplines in order to effectively bridge the gap between teaching and learning. Students are printing replicas of atoms, sewing costumes, building robots, testing gravity, and creating model towns. Whether the equipment consists of modern tools like a 3D printer and computer, or conventional ones like scissors and construction paper, it is a place where students are active learners.
Today many students passively take in information, often through a digital format, which can be problematic for developing critical thinking and involvement. To combat this, makerspaces are allowing educators to reevaluate a standardized pedagogy with a
