What is a Makerspace, and why should I care?

When I tell people I work in the UNCG School of Education's Makerspace, I often get a blank stare and, "Oh, that's nice." I can tell that what I do often needs an explanation.

I've also seen more than one school that has a  makerspace that just sits unused.  There are many reasons for this, among them, teachers just don't buy-in to the concept.

I heard a podcast recently from "The Cult of Pedagogy" that explains it well... Both the what and the why:

What is the Point of a Makerspace? Cult of Pedagogy