Rodriguez et al. (2018) provide the following definition of making, the core function of the makerspace:
While there is no official definition, making is generally thought of as turning ideas into products through design, invention, and building. We define making as:
Xavier University Library says of makerspaces in the postsecondary education context:
Makerspaces are multidisciplinary in both approach and in the products created which fuels engagement and innovation. Students ...learn how to utilize a wide range of hardware and software as a means to develop their creativity and critical thinking skills.
Combining the frameworks of constructionism, the maker movement, design thinking, and media literacies, the makerspace gives students the opportunity take ownership of their learning and the physical space.
References
The library is the ideal space for a makerspace - its mission is to "support the teaching, learning, and scholarship needs" of the UFV community, and one of the ways we do this is by providing shared spaces, resources and programs to the UFV community.
The library's Makerspace seeks to connect with the curriculum and student learning experiences through the four C's of makerspaces: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. We also seek to connect with UFV's goals for sustainability, particularly through the textiles part of the Makerspace program.
This is consistent with both the Institutional Learning Outcomes and Íyáqáwtxw, UFV's integrated Strategic Plan:
| Institutional Learning Outcomes | Íyáqáwtxw |
|---|---|
|
1. Apply Knowledge and Competencies Proficiently ...Learners demonstrate technical proficiency and effectively apply knowledge in a variety of situations. 2. Examine Critically and Holistically Learners use critical and creative thinking strategies, drawing on multiple perspectives and experiences to examine problems. They weave ideas together to expand on and create new ways of analyzing complex issues in a rapidly changing world. ... 6. Contribute Locally and Globally Learners gain knowledge in sustainability and model practices that effect positive change for humanity and the Earth. They recognize that they have a role in environmental stewardship and use what they learn at UFV to address local and global concerns. ... |
Engaging Learners / Yoystexw ye totilthet Engaging everyone in an inclusive learning environment ... means thinking outside the usual boxes we employ, moving towards fostering interdisciplinary and integrated forms of engagement. Engaging learners occurs in many forms. To fulfill this goal, we will (among other things) emphasize active and experiential forms of learning. (p. 4) Transforming Lives / Ayeqet kw’e shxwaylexws Our mission to transform lives is rooted in the values held by the Stó:lō people that each person has a special and unique gift. UFV will help nurture and celebrate these gifts amongst our students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and visitors in a number of ways. (p. 5) |
This is a synopsis of the ways in which UFV faculty, staff and students have worked with the library's Makerspace.
