Another ISTE whirlwind is now on the books! ISTE 2017 in San Antonio was my fourth ISTE and it was one of the best ones yet. I think I’ve finally learned how to pace myself, be selective about what I want to do and see and really soak it in. This year my main foci … Read more
“[I]magine how your students feel when they walk into your learning space. Are there comfortable seating options available? Is there a good variety to support both groups and individuals? Or are all the chairs uncomfortable and crammed tightly together?” In my post for AASL Knowledge Quest, I share the stories of two different airport experiences. … Read more
I’ve been studying library space design a lot the last few months. I’m currently working on a book for ISTE, tentatively titled Reimagining Library Spaces, that will be out sometime in the fall. As I’ve been going through research, I thought it would be great to share some of my favorite learning space design books … Read more
From the Campfire to the Holodeck (2014) is David Thornburg’s updated work on his theory of the primordial learning metaphors and how they fit in with today’s modern educational spaces. I’m currently researching and writing for book #2, which will be about learning space design and libraries (more info soon). In just about every book … Read more
Figuring out how to get (and keep) your makerspace organized can be a daunting task. I don’t claim to have a magical organization system that works perfectly 100% of the time. But I have learned a few things about keeping our space organized over the last three years. Here’s my advice: How to Create Makerspace … Read more
Just as our lives need tidying up from time to time, so do our libraries. Decluttering the library can be daunting at first, but it’s totally worth it. Here’s some more on why we should tidy up: The Magic of Tidying Up Your Library: An AASL Post I read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying … Read more
Why I love Copernicus Carts In setting up a makerspace in my media center, I’m constantly on the lookout for effective, flexible storage solutions for the myriad of supplies we have. I think I’ve found one of the best ones out there in Copernicus. I started with one Book Browser Cart (similar to this one) … Read more
(Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, I get a small commission that helps support running this blog) How to Create a Floorplan in Excel Confession time: I’m a slight spreadsheet nerd. My dad worked for IBM and I remember seeing him working on spreadsheets on our home computer at a … Read more
The 2016 Stewart MakerFair Every year since we started our makerspace in January 2014, we’ve held a Maker Fair during the last conference night of the year (See our 2014 MakerFair and our 2015 MakerFair). This year’s was even bigger and more awesome. We had more interactive student projects and I had more student volunteers … Read more
The Language of School Design The Language of School Design: Design Patterns for 21st Century Schools, is a fantastic, well-designed book that takes a broad look at what makes a 21st Century School a modern learning space. They break these ideas down into 29 well-researched Design Patterns. Included with each of the patterns are examples … Read more