Multiple Perspectives on Maker Education and Makerspaces in Teacher Education
Abstract: The preparation for maker education is crucial to teacher education and has the abilities to prepare our teachers to design constructionist learning experiences that involve making and use it to advocate for social justice, especially for female and minority students in their classrooms who need more opportunities, instructions, and confidence to enter STEAM career paths. Thus, the purpose of this panel discussion is to begin conversations among teacher educators to share and brainstorm how maker education and makerspaces could be integrated into teacher education and what are some best practices teacher educators could use to prepare pre-service and in-service teachers to design learning experiences that involve making. Several teacher educators who have begun this effort will serve as the panelist in this session. They will share their research and practices on this topic and participate in small group discussions with the audience on the topic of how teacher educators could integrate maker education as a part of technology integration preparation for teachers and how this approach might support innovation in other colleges of education, as well as in other disciplines. The overall goal of this panel discussion is to brainstorm as a community why and how teacher educators need to prepare teachers for maker education and to initiate collaborative relationships and connections among the attendees and panelist.