Matt Zigler

I am a teacher, artist, and maker. I am currently the Bullis Innovation and Technology Lab (BITlab) Coordinator at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland. In this role, I work with students and teachers to bring design thinking and the Maker process into traditional content area classes, teach Maker related classes, and oversee a state of the art Makerspace and Fab Lab. I have presented on how to design and build a Makerspace that meets the needs of your school, how to create a culture of Making and innovation, and how to develop Maker programming for all levels of ability, K-12. The school Maker movement and K-12 Fab Labs foster creative problem solving, collaboration skills, technology and innovation skills, and an understanding of what it takes to make ideas into reality. These are the skills that students graduating today will need in the 21st-century jobs of tomorrow that haven’t even been created yet.

I hold a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and taught art in a variety of schools before starting my first Makerspace. I have taught at small and large schools, schools for students with learning disabilities, and traditional private schools. I have built a Makerspace on a budget of $10,000 and one on a budget of $100,000. No matter the size of the space or the number of tools, the learning that takes place in a Makerspace or Fab Lab can be life-changing for many students.