LibGuides: The Case for Makerspaces: 6. Cater to Different Learning Styles

Cater to Different Learning Styles

Makerspaces and Equal Access to Learning
Makerspaces can democratize learning, create a culture of participation, allow for teaching with visual cues, offer thematic planning opportunities, and facilitate differentiated instruction.
Benefits of Makerspace Learning
"Not every person learns best through one style, which can cause perfectly bright kids to fall behind their peers who excel in the standard learning format. Makerspaces are an educational sandbox, meaning there are multiple ways to solve a problem. Each student may arrive at the solution via a different path, and along that path will be learning through failure, a powerful teaching tool."

Tactile/Kinesthetic – This learner learns best when they have their hands on something and are interacting with objects to learn about them. This group will benefit the most from a makers lab because there are many opportunities for tinkering.
Visual – This learner benefits from visual aids to guide them through the learning process. Professors can create items in the makers lab that will guide learners through a subject. Most engineers and programmers are visual learners and will enjoy use of coding projects in the lab.
Interpersonal/Intrapersonal – The interpersonal learner does best in a group, while the intra personal learner needs to be alone to learn. The makers lab is a collaborative space, but that does not mean that an intrapersonal learner can’t plug in their headphone a problem solve on their own.
Logic/Mathematical – This learner must classify or categorize things. They have a better understanding of patterns and numbers. Much like the visual learner, this learner will benefit from coding opportunities. We hope our partnership with faculty members will allow for a good supplement for the tradition classroom lecture.