About the Makerspace

The unequivocal implementation of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, anti-racism (EDIDA) frameworks through maker challenges and provocations within makerspaces, is a fundamental component and priority of the virtual inclusive makerspace. The purpose of this space is to provide inclusive resources, big ideas, critical questions, and a space to network with other makers and educators, for the continued effort of ensuring the ongoing awareness and expansion of understanding within and for inclusive education. This website is committed to addressing racism, discrimination and reducing inequalities in education through the meaningful implementation of educational technology within a virtual makerspace environment. A highly critical, responsive, and inclusive makerspace starts with a culture that promotes equity and reduces disparities. 

21st century learning means moving beyond the traditional constraints and confinements of a one-sized, teacher-directed curriculum towards developing a creative, divergent, and rigorous learning environment that is personalised and differentiated. This 21st century learning environment should engage students and learners through authentic critical challenges and provocations and are the aim of this virtual inclusive makerspace. Through the act of making and tinkering (Graves & Graves, 2017), students and learners are able to engage in real-world applications, relevant to their own lives, in a space that builds innovation, critical thinking, multiliteracy and multimodality skills, alongside communication, and collaboration skills.

With the three fundamental elements required for effective maker learning being the commitment to best-practice and research-supported pedagogy (Barnett, 2020), the commitment to educational technology and meaningful and purposeful non-digital and digital tool implementations (Dousley, 2017), and the development of soft skills and mindset (Rosenheck, 2020), the “maker movement has fundamentally changed the way educators and educational researchers envision teaching and learning” (Halverson & Peppler, 2018). Yet according to Spencer (2017), many educators do not know how to effectively infuse, implement, identify, and design curriculum content through inclusive makerspace structures. As well, many educators struggle with ensuring the design and execution of equitable, inclusive, diverse, decolonized, and anti-racist spaces that are culturally relevant, responsive, and sensitive (Kye, 2020).

THIS is the purpose of the inclusive virtual makerspace. Welcome to a space that is responsive, adaptive, and committed to ongoing refinement through the cultivation of creative and growth mindsets in all its users.