A New Use for the Makerspace

Authors

  • Diana Widdows Warrenton Grade School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7710/1093-7374.1920

Keywords:

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Abstract

If you want to elicit a groan and an eye roll from almost anyone in the field of education, you need only whisper two words: test prep. Standardized testing is a reality across the country, but even for those who can see its value, the testing is time consuming and can be soul-crushing for teachers and students.

At Warrenton Grade School, a Makerspace was established at the end of last year as a way to create opportunities for hands-on learning. It is housed in the art room, and teachers can bring their classes to work on projects. With this space available, we decided to bundle SBAC Test Prep with fun projects that keep the curriculum hands-on and simultaneously help students build background knowledge for performance tasks they will face.

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Author Biography

Diana Widdows, Warrenton Grade School

Diana Widdows is in her second year as a K-8 Library Media Specialist at Warrenton Grade School. She has taught third grade and elementary technology classes and has run summer library programs as well as makerspace camps. She helps coach two ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) teams who design, build, and compete with their underwater robots. When not working she loves to hike, garden, draw, and, of course, read.

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Published

2018-04-06

How to Cite

Widdows, D. (2018). A New Use for the Makerspace. OLA Quarterly, 23(4), 26–29. https://doi.org/10.7710/1093-7374.1920

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 4 (2017): Sushi, STEM, or Goat Yoga: Successful Library Programming

Section

Articles