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There is growing interest from schools in the Maker Movement and Maker Education but with this have come some subtle misunderstandings about what it is all about. For one the modern maker movement is all about the mindset of the maker rather than developing a set of specific skills for making. The second confusion stems from a belief that the maker movement is all about the tools and the makerspace and that as such it involves large budgets.

The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary research club for those interested in the made world: from makers of molecules to makers of buildings, synthetic skin to spacecraft, soup to diamonds, socks to cities. Annual membership of the institute is available to all UCL staff and students. Our programme of symposia, masterclasses and public events explores the links between academic research and hands-on experience, and celebrates the sheer joy of stuff. Its mission is to provide all makers with a creative home in which to innovate, contemplate and understand all aspects of materials and an inspiring place to explore their relationship to making. At the heart of the Institute of Making is the Materials Library - a growing repository of some of the most extraordinary materials on earth, gathered together for their ability to fire the imagination and advance conceptualisation. A place in which makers from all disciplines can see, touch, research and discuss, so that they can apply the knowledge and experience gained to their own practice. Alongside the collection is the MakeSpace - a workshop where members and guests can make, break, design and combine both advanced and traditional tools, techniques and materials."

To assess maker projects in your class, begin with a three-part rubric to guide students through process, understanding, and product.

To assess maker projects in your class, begin with a three-part rubric to guide students through process, understanding, and product.

"For kid makers, having a dedicated space to work on projects can be pretty wonderful, and it just might help them create more than they ever imagined.  A workspace doesn't need to be huge -- a small workbench that is efficient, compact and flexible in its use and storage can fit almost anywhere.  Here are some tips on how to design and set up a mini maker space made just for your kids."

The maker movement and with it maker-centered learning brings new possibilities and challenges into the classroom. It has spawned makerspaces and students are busy designing and making products. The danger with all this frenzied making is that it is very easy to miss the point, to focus on the product and not the journey.  

Seating Chart Maker is an application that can help you get all your students where they belong. Whether it's a child with vision issues who needs to be in the front of the class, or those two kids who just cannot be allowed to sit next to each other-too much talking or too much fighting-this tool can help you spend less time figuring out the classroom logistics and more time teaching your students what they need to know. And isn't that really why you teach? Written by the spouse of a teacher, Seating Chart Maker runs under Windows and is a free download.

Amazing site with easy maker how to's.All simple projects with easy to obtain parts to bring the maker Revolution to your kids. Listed by discipline.

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Making the most of Maker Spaces and STEAM will require professional development and a new mindset for all learners. 

A superb digital music maker. Click on the grid to make wonderful music and share online. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Music,+Sound+&+Podcasts

Getting Started with Windows Live Movie Maker

Getting Started with Windows Live Movie Maker

Mini Maker Fair is designed to get students making with found materials, documenting the process, tweaking/hacking someone else's design, and reflecting throughout.

Resources and information about the Maker Movement

Free instant online crossword puzzle maker--quickly make crossword puzzles using your words!

What to do on a maker-workshop? Here some ideas for organizers. Make music with Makey Makey CNC cut marble track Program with Arduino Illustrate your dreams Build your own microscope and test the Berlin Water Quality A video game about the city's future development Grow roots and wings with Toywheel Furniture design with a laser cutter Dancing drones (a Dronenschwarm through a Web browser program) Robots upcycled A video game about the city's future development Kids have a dream Grow roots and wings with Toywheel

Three tools Thimble, X-ray Goggles and Popcorn Maker allow students to explore HTML and CSS and author web pages simply. Fantastic examples of online web applications.