Maker and STEAM Spaces – 2nd Annual Symposium

Explore different approaches to the implementation of Makers and STEAM spaces

Overview

This engaging 2.5-hour session will invite participants to explore different approaches to the implementation of Makers and STEAM spaces. Participants will learn how individual schools have designed, resourced, and utilized these innovative learning spaces.

Whether you are a school that already has such a space, or you have one that needs rethinking, you won’t want to miss this essential professional learning and leadership opportunity. 

Maker and/or STEAM spaces are becoming essential parts of a school’s learning environment.  However, as this is a rapidly evolving area, there are no “blueprints.” For every successful space in a school, there is another that is not being leveraged to its full potential. 

This symposium will prompt thinking and provide ideas to support school-based decisions around their Maker and STEAM spaces.

Symposium Highlights

• Explore different models for spaces
  • Maker Space as a DT Lab
  • STEAM Lab
  • Elementary Maker Space
  • Secondary Maker Space
  • Maker Space as a Classroom
  • Maker Space as Professional Learning Environment
  • Maker Space for Robotics

• How do you make spaces sustainable?
• How do you staff a maker space?
• How do you schedule a maker spaces such that is leveraged maximally?
• How is the space used outside of regular class time?
• What is the mission and vision for your space?

Workshop Structure

• Panel Discussion
• Three Breakout Sessions (with 12+ options in total)
• Networking Session

Keynote: The Future of Innovation is Local

There is an urgent need to anchor makerspaces in hyper-local and bio-collaborative practices for a sustainable and inclusive future. In this talk we delve into the transformative potential of place-based design, local sustainable materials, and Indigenous knowledge systems to redefine makerspaces as innovation hubs at the intersection of biology, technology, design and culture. We can invite nature into makerspaces through creative making with biology via explorations of bioplastics, insects, plant weavings, and other bio-based materials. Deeply place-based and culturally informed maker journeys can empower students to not only engage, but also to greatly contribute to local and global emergent knowledge. This talk emphasizes the exciting role of makerspaces in shaping our identity as ‘future ancestors’, fostering inclusive, biologically intertwined explorations needed to dream abundance in the future we and our descendants face.

Presenting Schools

• The International School of Kuala Lumpur – Getting started with a makerspace. Setting up the space and building a program., Steve Katz
• International School of Macau – The TIS Idea Lab: Creating a Makerspace from scratch and what I learned along the way, Sarah Fenwick-Ross
• Madac Schools – Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators: How Upper Elementary and Middle School Makerspaces Embrace Sustainability, Abeer Tadmori
• Bradbury School (ESF) – A quick guide to getting a Maker Space up and running. Steven Allan
• BBS- Kuwait – Unlocking the Future of Education: How AI Transforms School Makerspaces into Hubs of Innovation, Dr Sayed Mahmoud
• American Community School Amman Jordan – Leveraging systems to increase student agency and autonomy in the maker space. Jamie Willett
• Victoria Shanghi Academy – From Vision to Reality: Unveiling the Journey of Space Planning, the Power of Creative Confidence, Teamwork, and Risk-taking, and Exploring the Wonders of Our Innovation Space, John Hendrickse
• TIS Macau – STEAM Integration & Implementation, Dave Marker
• Oasis International School – Kuala Lumpur – Maximizing what is available to you in your maker space, Andre Quimpo
• Frankfurt International School – We will be sharing our newly revamoed Elementary Creativity Center (Kitchen, Jr Science, MakerSpace and LEGO Learning Lab). Jamie Stark
• Korea International School – Human-centered Designed Spaces Nikki, Vreugdenhil
• St Johnsbury Academy, Jeju – Building an ES Makerspace Program,  Lee Jones

Who Should Attend and Why?

• Maker Space Coordinators
• STEM/STEAM Coordinators/Specialists
• Directors of EdTech / Directors of Innovation
• Technology Coaches/Integrators
• Curriculum Coordinators
• School-Based Leaders 
• Group Technology Directors
• Director of Education for School Groups
• Teachers involved in STEAM or Maker Education

We encourage teams to attend the workshop so they can take advantage of hearing the multiple perspectives presented. This will support schools and their teams in subsequent internal engagements including discussion, design, and undertaking team reflections.