Share your takeaways from a breakout session

This session with Martin Wallace of UT Arlington was very informative and innovative.

At first it struck me that the maker-based competencies that are being developed are little more than a bend of critical thinking skills, soft skills, and common sense. That being said, as I thought about it some more, taking a new perspective on well-established concepts and accepted human expressions or traits is really what being a maker is about. 

I am very encouraged by the inclusiveness of these competencies. The scope of allowed approaches to learning and knowledge creation have grown so exponentially since I was a kid in school, subsequently making learning more accessible. Tying these rather complex intellectual human efforts to an end-product by bench marking the important segments in rubric-like fashion scaffolds these nascent ideas and legitimizes the emerging theories that will follow. 

I loved Robert Pronovost's presentation.  What great ideas for using everyday items such and cardboard, tape, and playdoh.  I especially like the idea of asking for Lego donations and the scratch and code.org resources.

In particular, I am deeply intrigued by the mention of the Tactile Picture Books project! We have used our 3D printers to make prosthetic limbs before, which was hugely rewarding, but this is a way to introduce 3D printed materials directly into the library collection. This might also show our community a possible function for our maker space that they had not yet considered. 

This was encouraging because #1 I don't have a budget to "buy" things for kids to "make and do."  #2 The photos showed me that students still love to play with good old cardboard and playdoh!

The samples shared reminded me that it's more about the process of working out a plan and working together (if it can be do with a group). I loved the simple puppet show and the huge fort.  I loved the playdoh squishy circuits.  Yes, that will cost a little, but way less that Little Bits!  And, Legos!  I already have some - and, plan to ask for donations... From the closing Keynote session, I saw her wonderful Lego wall made on top of an unused white board. I plan to use that same idea and make my own version of a Lego wall using an old easel which is out of commission.

The examples and ideas that were shared reminded me that I just need to think outside the box and not let money be my limiter. Students love to play and cut and tape.  Cardboard and tape make a lot of fun for many.  Those cardboard signs were amazing!

On a side note, another session reminded me to tap the experts in my school:  who can help teach the students to crochet?  Or do flower arranging?  or...?  I need to do what we can, with what we have.  I don't need to go out and buy all sorts of stuff and build a program around stuff.

This session was packed with terrific, specific ideas (my benchmark for a good webinar or conference session). I was impressed that the speaker's library has added 3 additional professional positions to support their Maker program. As an up-and-coming librarian, that's exciting to me! 

I also liked the speaker's quote about promoting a new library initiative: "One of the best things you can do is leave the building." Makerspaces are expanding libraries' reach, helping us reach new sectors of our community. But the speaker is right, we have to go outside the library to find them and draw them in.

It was also interesting to me to see the growth of the program over four years. It reminds me that we don't have to do everything, implement every idea, all at once.

Learning Commons transitions Makerspaces from adults to patrons/students. The seat of power is moved to empower them instead of staff, reclaiming space for the public from the institution itself.
Libraries are the intersection of ideas and information. 
Attempting to shove creativity into a space is an idea killer, making isn't limited to a location.