Isn't this just a computer lab with junk in it?

Now that the STEAM Lab is open to students and classes, people have been passing by and asking a lot of questions. One of the themes of people's comments has been surprise that the STEAM Lab looks...  not that different from the old computer lab.


It's true that we've kept a healthy number of linux desktop computers laid out in a lab arrangement. These will come in handy for graphic design, video production, programming Raspberry Pi computer kids or Arduino electronics, etc. But the real thing is that people seem to expect heavy woodworking machinery, or a bank of 3D Printers.

While many school and municipal makerspaces have tools like these, what makes a makerspace or STEAM Lab successful is how it's used, rather than what's in it. Would it be handy to have a chop saw or a power drill? Sure! But can we do the work we need to do, and support the creative tinkering of our students, with only a handful of basic tools and supplies.