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"Makerspaces are too often defined by things -- hardware, software, other technologies -- which can engender a shopping-list mentality among people interested in creating such a learning environment. A true makerspace is defined not by what's in it but rather by what comes out of it: projects, experiences, artifacts, and learning. The tools are just a means to an end. With that proviso, here are the 20 most important tools being used in our space right now."

"This past week our learning space transformation was revealed and The Launch Pad is open for business.  My fingers are still stinging from the glue gun burns and fingernails stained with enamel spray paint, but the ribbon was cut and the door was open for our teachers and students.  As kids were coming in, seeing the room for the first time after months of anticipation, I got to watch their eyes light up, again and again.  And that?  It's what learning should be.   Shouldn't we blow kids minds sometimes (or as Kevin Jarrett said… often?), and then give them opportunities to blow our minds, too?  Of course we should."

"I've been called the "Willy Wonka of school librarians" because I, with the help of multiple educators, transformed our traditional library into what I call an IDEA (Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Art) Lab. What's an IDEA Lab? It's a learning space full of flexible furniture, robotics, engineering tools, iPads, laptops, and sewing machines. Children have a passion for learning and creating, and it's my hope that the IDEA Lab will help keep that light bulb glowing."

"It's no secret that students today spend a lot of time online, and that's why educators need to ensure that our students are equipped with digital citizenship and media literacy skills to help them navigate the terrain. Students need to know how to find reliable sources and spot misinformation. They need to know what information is appropriate - and inappropriate - to share. Often, educators try to instill this information via traditional instruction in a classroom. But when presented this way, it can fall flat. The key to helping students make good decisions online is to mentor them in their spaces and allow them to pursue their interests. This personalized learning approach, which addresses several of the ISTE Standards for Students, has real-world application that hooks our students and helps them internalize media literacy and digital citizenship skills. Here are five practical steps that educators can take to help graduate media literate digital citizens - those who learn, curate, collaborate and contribute thoughtfully to social media networks."

"As a school librarian, I always thought of the notion of collection as expansive. Collections might include any of the experiences we discover, as well as any of the people we meet who might enhance learning for our communities. Among those experiences are virtual field trips. Opportunities now abound for connections to curriculum and student interests. And easier strategies for video conferencing, combined with new types of interactions, make virtual field trips even more affordable and engaging. You don't risk weather conditions or losing any wandering kiddos who can't find their way back to the bus. You can ignore issues of distance relating to both space and time. And these escapes from daily classroom routine can result in very sticky learning."

"School life can often get hectic, as you juggle between classes, assignments, projects, good grades, all laced with extreme competition, constant up gradation, and race for perfection. It is therefore, not uncommon for students to go through phases of stress and anxiety, as they surf through their learning journeys. It's important not to brush off your stress as just exam pressure or derivatives of academics. Stress and anxiety in students, is as serious a problem as it is in adults. If unattended, it can lead to several physical and mental health problems including obesity, sleep apnea, depression, eventually effecting your development and growth. In a study conducted by the World Health Organization, 25% of adolescents in India face depression, and 8% suffer from anxiety. Learning how to manage stress, won't just help you avoid serious repercussions of it, but also give your mind some much needed space and time, to function and focus well."

"At the end of 2016, I found myself mentally exhausted and barely able to string together a coherent thought or formulate an original idea. As I swiped through my social media feeds for inspiration-or maybe procrastination-a nagging feeling hit. I needed a break from screen time. Pediatricians, psychologists, and neuroscientists warn of potential negative consequences associated with constant mental stimulation as a result of interacting with our devices. Without a screen-free space for my brain to relax, stop firing, and just think, I felt incapable of significant mental processing. I could blame the technology for thwarting my attempts at creative thought, or I could blame myself for taking the easy route and using my devices to constantly stimulate my brain. Though I chose to blame myself, I am finding a lot of support for the idea of blaming technology when discussing the idea of screen time. Get the best of Edutopia in your inbox each week. Mobile devices have the potential to provide amazing learning opportunities as well as great distractions. They can further social interactions to help us build stronger connections in our communities, or allow us to destroy relationships by hiding behind a screen. In the book The Triple Focus: A New Approach to Education, authors Daniel Goleman and Peter Senge describe three essential skills for surviving in a society increasingly dominated by internet-enabled devices: focusing on ourselves, tuning in to others, and understanding the larger world. While the authors apply these concepts to the broader field of social and emotional learning, these same foci also apply as we address the issue of screen time with our students and children."

"During the 2016 National Week of Making, as a part of President Obama's Nation of Makers initiative, Digital Promise and Maker Ed announced the Maker Promise. A commitment made by school leaders, in-school and out-of-school educators, and community advocates to bringing quality making experiences to all students. By signing the Promise, individuals commit to becoming champions of making, supporting spaces for making, and showcasing what students have made. As this year's Week of Making comes to a close, we are excited to publish our first annual Maker Promise report, which shares what we have learned about the state of making in schools and how this is shaping our future efforts. This year, our work focused on understanding how maker learning is being implemented at Maker Promise schools and identifying areas where the Maker Promise could offer support and resources. To develop our understanding, we interviewed K-12 school leaders who had signed the Maker Promise and surveyed the "maker champions" most responsible for integrating making into their school or district. Here are a few highlights from our findings:"

"Stephen Hawking's Snapshots of the Universe is a terrific iPad app for students.  This app includes ten experiments for students to work through.  Students will learn about planets and gravity while creating their own solar system and piloting a ship to Mars.  Beautifully designing and visually pleasing, Stephen Hawking's Snapshots of the Universe will grab the attention of students of all ages."

"It's often the smallest spark that ignites the flames of inspiration and lifelong learning. The right balance between fascination and education, Star Chart is the perfect example of an app that can provide that spark for students. Overlaying a stunningly detailed view of the night sky on students' phones or tablet devices, the app can become your classes virtual telescope to explore the whole visible universe."

"More and more libraries are being converted to makerspaces on a daily basis across the globe. I receive regular emails from people looking for the perfect checklist of hardware to create the perfect makerspace. However, makerspace isn't about stuff. Kinaesthetic activities, learning by doing, hands on, etc. all require teachers to shift their practice from comfortable to uncomfortable. Students will be working on different projects, at different paces, and at different times. Nothing about makerspace is standard nor can creativity be measured by a standardized test. In fact, measuring the success of a passion project is not possible with a rubric of qualifiers as rubrics themselves tend to be standard in structure."

"Just how big is the universe, how small is an atom, and how long have we humans lived on Earth, compared with dinosaurs? Such answers are better learned with an iPad, according to a new study that shows just how tablets tap neurocognitive abilities that help students understand enormous scale and other difficult concepts."

"As the Maker Movement has gained steams schools and educators alike have begun to incorporate makerspaces as exploratory centers for students to invent, tinker, create, and make to learn.  A makerspace can best be defined as a physical place where students can create real-world products/projects using real-world tools.  In 2013 I was fortunate enough to hire media specialist/teacher librarian Laura Fleming, who took the initiative to create a makerspace in our school.  Through her work I discovered some guiding principles that might just help you begin to create a makerspace in your school or integrate the process of making across the curriculum.  It is first important to understand three underlying qualities that essential in ensuring that students make to learn:"

"Graphic design students require a variety of tools in their arsenal at all times, ranging from high-end laptops to smartphones. Most K-12 schools and higher-ed institutions, however, are focusing on the use of tablets. This is because designers are now able to use more of a 'free hand' in tablet use due to the availability of additional screen space. This is especially helpful in item personalization and logo branding, for mechanical engineering, as well as custom t-shirts or other commercial products, and perhaps most of all web design."

"THE STARTING POINT? It is interesting to reflect how this simplification of iPad key tools has changed in a relatively short space of time. iWork suite aside, you could purchase the above apps for less than the cost of a textbook and have a model that could enhance learning with the right application."