Blogshare #2 - Low-tech is the new tech?

What I appreciate about the makerspace movement in libraries is that almost anything goes, as far as materials are concerned. Some schools or districts may have a non-existent budget for makerspace items, but that's okay. I found a blog called BubbleUp Classroom written by a teacher and a librarian. In one of their posts about makerspaces, they gave 5 ideas for Low-tech maker challenges. It uses very budget-friendly items such as paper bags, pipe cleaners, paper, and tape. These challenges are for students who may enjoy coming in to experiment with makerspace items, but need some direction in what to create. They also encourage collaboration and communication among students. 

Image from https://www.bubbleupclassroom.org/home/bubbleup-take5-low-tech-maker-challenges

This is a video about making a mini makerspace using low tech tools:



In The Making of Makerspaces Part 1, Lauren Britton reminds us that low-tech low-cost items can be just as popular as their costly counterparts, such as 3-D printers. Makerspaces that include these simple items still "foster play and exploration, facilitate informal learning opportunities, and nurture peer-to-peer training." 

Another important aspect of makerspaces involves children's agency. In Canino-Fluit's article and Britton's, they both remind us that makerspaces are also about children seeing themselves, not just as consumers, but as creators. Beginning this at an early age in elementary school libraries can be an important first step towards this shift in thinking. 

Works Cited:

Britton, L. (2012, October 1). The Makings of Maker Spaces, Part 1: Space for Creation, Not Just
Consumption. The Digital Shift. http://thedigitalshift.com/2012/10/public-services/the-makings-of-maker-
spaces-part-1-space-for-creation-not-just-consumption/.

Canino-Fluit, A. A. (2014). School Library Makerspaces. Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 21-27.





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