In September and October 2023, Tolocar teamed up with Ostriv Platform to design and run the Makerspace BootCamp, a dynamic educational workshop designed to create, and facilitate makerspaces within schools and develop a visionary approach to education. Six teams were chosen from 26 schools, comprising students, teachers, and administrators.

The applicants had to meet following criteria:

• they had to provide a floor plan for the actual space they plan to use
• the team had to consist of 4 people: 2 students, 1 teacher and 1 head teacher or school director
• they had to provide a motivational letter detailing their need and vision for such a space

The general aim of the bootcamp was to provide participants with a first-hand experience of the “just-in-time” educational approach. The deliverables that were expected of the teams were an architectural maquette of the space and a 5-minute pitch for their future fundraising activities to develop the space. On a path towards it the teams were supported with visionary presentations and talks from the Tolocar network as well as reflection and critical space planning conversations.

💡 Our camp was a two-stage journey. During online lectures and hands-on workshops, teams developed their visions of future makerspaces and built 3D architectural models. During the process, teams engaged in an iterative cycle of learning experiences, and gained practical skills in CAD modeling, laser-cutting, and 3D printing. This encourages a comprehensive understanding of lab utilization and fosters brainstorming sessions on how these spaces can optimize the learning experience and be used as learning platforms.

💡 In the second stage, the best ideas will come to life as makerspaces within schools, promoting hands-on learning where possible. We are very grateful to all participants for their active engagement!

The team leader of TOLOCAR, Kostyantyn Leonenko, and the co-founder of Ostriv, Roman Sakh, gave insights about the makerspace camp:

💬 Konstantin: “This bootcamp was created for schools to deeply immerse themselves in the maker environment and feel how it differs from conventional education. So these workshops are not just about individual machines, separate curricula - it’s about creating an environment where people can be inspired by their own projects, their own aspirations.”

💬 Roman: “The main value of this program is that all participants who want to create similar workshops for themselves have the opportunity to work in such a space in real life and understand how it works, what processes take place here, and what opportunities open up.”

🚀 A New Perspective on Education

The Second Part of the Makerspace BootCamp shown in video form:

Following an exciting educational journey through the Makerspace BootCamp, we are thrilled to share the impressions and comments of the participants who took part in this project.

💬 Oleksandr Sobchenko, a teacher of computer science and labor training: “Prototyping was my first serious experience. Through this, we realized new aspects and were able to gain a deeper understanding of our goals.”

💬 Konstantin, the TOLOCAR team lead: “Participants received starter kits for their workshops, including 3D printers and filament. This will enable them to immediately apply the knowledge they have gained.”

Watch the full videos about the project (in UA only) here: 1. ▶ 2. ▶