The MAKER Difference was created by me, Emma Ross, with the aim of fostering collaboration, accentuating student voice and cultivating creativity in education.
The MAKER Difference aims to share research and evidence-based best practices, project ideas and empower educators to push the boundaries, always innovating and improving practise to engage learners.
In 2016, I opened the Canterbury Primary School Makerspace. The CPS Makerspace is a unique learning environment where students and teachers work and learn together to explore, design, experiment, build and invent. The culture in the space supports the idea that anything is possible and helps students to understand that they need to try, learn and improve, and that failure is a vital part of learning.
I implemented the Maker movement at Canterbury Primary School to make an impact on the way students view themselves as learners by nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and supporting them to engage more deeply in Science, Engineering and Tinkering. Students should not be limited by age, background or gender when they are learning and teachers need to empower them to take risks and be unafraid of failure. This is the way to increase engagement and outcomes for all students. Designated zones in the Makerspace include woodwork, 3D printing, robotics, cardboard construction, sewing, tinkering, cooking and gardening althouth this is constantly growing and changing with our students.
The Maker Difference 