Presentation Title: “Maker Educator Leadership: Tools and Routines to Support Professional Learning”

Makerspaces, maker-based learning experiences, STEAM spaces and the like provide innovative opportunities for students. And there are countless ways in which schools are integrating these experiences for their students. The educators that lead these efforts are often at a variety of intersections of content area, grade level, departmental teams, etc. Whether by choice or not, they are positioned to influence fellow educators in new approaches to designing, facilitating and assessing maker-based learning experiences and potentially shift those other teachers’ practice. In that way, many maker educators are teacher leaders in their buildings and/or district. This presentation builds on this notion and will engage participants in tools and routines to support learning and reflection and build community among maker educators.

This work is based on the experience of the facilitators in leading an educator learning community in Western Pennsylvania for the last 10 years, their own research (Wardrip, Evancho & McNamara, 2017; Wardrip, Saplan & Evancho, 2022) and other research on tools to support teacher learning (e.g. Clapp et al, 2016). Participants will engage with and discuss a specific educator learning tool that supports the participants to identify what they value for learning and engagement in maker-based learning experiences, share examples of what they value with colleagues and consider how specific maker-based learning activities offer (or not) opportunities for learners to engage in their value. At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to take these tools and routines back to their schools and colleagues and adapt them (or not) to their own needs and goals.