Makerspace Successes, Makerspace Challenges

Presented by Michelle Luhtala, Library Department Chair, New Canaan High School, CT; Ethan Heise, Director of MackinMaker; and Heather Lister, Professional Learning Specialist
Sponsored by Mackin Educational Resources

Watch the Recording

If you view the recording and would like a CE certificate, join the Emerging Tech for Schools and Libraries community and go to the CE Quizzes link in the Community Toolbox.

Maker culture is here and it is alive and thriving in schools and public libraries across the United States and beyond. While each makerspace is a reflection of its own learning community, there are valuable lessons we can take away from maker facilitators: successes, challenges, surprises, do-overs, and “I wishes.” In this edWebinar, Michelle Luhtala, Ethan Heise and Heather Lister xplore school library makerspaces from floor plans, furnishings, and equipment to the role of play in a data-driven education landscape. Discover how to integrate making into your learning community. School librarians, teachers, administrators, and all educators interested in makerspaces will enjoy and learn from this recorded session.

About the Presenters

Michelle Luhtala is the Library Department Chair at New Canaan High School in Connecticut and was one of five school librarians named as a “Mover and Shaker” by Library Journal in 2015. She is the winner of the 2011 “I Love My Librarian” Award and the Library Association’s 2010 Outstanding Librarian Award. The New Canaan High School Library won AASL’s National School Library Program of the year in 2010. Follow her on Twitter @mluhtala.

Ethan Heise is the director of MackinMaker, Mackin’s Maker Education division. He has a hobbyist background in open source electronics and has helped start K-12 school makerspaces across the United States. He also works closely with community makerspaces in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Heather Lister, professional learning specialist, is an international speaker and author on the topics of makerspaces, innovative libraries, and space transformation. With her experience and training as a school librarian, mathematics and instructional technology specialist, and school administrator, Heather brings a unique and practical perspective to the world of school librarianship and maker education.

Join the Emerging Tech for Schools and Libraries community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming webinars, view past webinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past webinar, and access free resources.

 Mackin is one of the top providers of library and classroom materials for grades PK-12. Working with over 18,000 publishers and a database of nearly 3 million printed titles, and more than 1.9 million digital titles, Mackin supplies print books, eBooks, online educational databases, audiobooks and video resources to schools around the globe.