Show Learners the Possibilities . . . And Then Get Out of the Way We are living in an age of advanced user-driven technologies, information abundance, and networked, participatory learning. It should logically follow, then, that education should take advantage of these amazing developments. As many of us in education know, it has not. This theme has permeated many of my blog posts: Moving from Education 1.0 Through Education 2.0 Towards Education 3.0 The evolution of the web from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and now to Web 3.0 can be used a metaphor of how education should also be moving, developing, and evolving from Education 1.0 towards that of an Education 3.0. Learner Agency, Technology, and Emotional Intelligence The notion of agency as contributing to cognitive processes involved in learning comes primarily from the Piagetian notion of constructivism where knowledge is seen as “constructed” through a process of taking actions in one’s environment and making adjustments to existing knowledge structures based on the outcome of those actions. Like this:
Maker Education - About Maker Education Color-Coded Clean Up: Organizing Your Makerspace | Making in School During the holiday break the Creativity Lab decided to take advantage of the student-free time by transforming the already awesome makerspace we’ve built, to an even more student-friendly place. The golden rule in organization is this: in the end everything has a place, within the place it functions. To break this down a little, here are a few things to ponder when organizing your space: (1) Everything should have a place. What do we have? How much of it is there? (2) Try to arrange things by process or within in a place where it functions. Are stations necessary? (3) Adjust as you go. Are things working? Draft a little plan, do a sketch, talk to other teachers that use the space and go for it. Excellent things to have on hand during the process: Other great options, but not required: Magnetic SidingMagnetic Spice Holders for smaller materialsMovable CartsPeg-hole Board At Lighthouse we decided to color code our materials in small (shoe-box sized) plastic bins. Mr. Like this: Like Loading...
How to Use Recycled Tech Devices as Learning Tools The idea of dissection in the classroom is nothing new. Science teachers have been delighting (and occasionally sickening) students for decades by giving them hands-on experience with organisms and tools. What is new, however, is the movement to create un-making spaces in the classroom. Makerspaces and Un-Makerspaces In a recent (excellent) Edutopia article, fifth-grade teacher Scott Bedley describes how he created an un-makerspace. However, Bedley also spoke with the makers at the Bay Area Maker Faire and realized that many of them took things apart when they were kids, as he did. How to Create an Un-Makerspace Bedley shares the seven basic steps that he took to create his un-makerspace. Find the Electronics: Bedley uses everything from old stereos, to discarded computers, to unwanted VHS machines. How to Find Unwanted Electronics One of the best ways to find unwanted electronics and get them into your classroom is to inform parents of your un-makerspace and request donations.
Dissecting the Un-Makerspace: Recycled Learning It starts with a twist, a squeak, and a cheer. Watch out, 1980s cassette player, broken computer mouse, old monitor -- my fifth graders and I are looking for you! Your future doesn't hold a dumpster in it, at least not yet. You, my memory of past innovation, get a second life. Making vs. Before we start taking apart the un-makerspace, we need to look at the maker movement. Evan's catapult with cardboard, popsicle sticks, and rubber bands. Photo credit: Scott Bedley So the making led me to "un-making." Why did that little wheel spin when I pushed the play button on that cassette player? My students will have a space to dissect all the discarded and unwanted items and to ask those questions. Making an Un-Makerspace in 7 Easy Steps How can you create an un-makerspace in your class? 1. It can be old stereos, discarded computers, or even VHS machines, but whether it is small or large, your students will learn. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Be sure to have the proper gear for cleaning up after yourselves.
Starting a Makerspace on a Budget? Here's The Equipment You'll Need Advertisement Most of the things that involve computers are solitary endeavors. Writing. Programming. Building electronics projects. It’s not unheard of for creative-minded geeks to lock themselves away for days at a time, isolated from the world, and hack away on their projects. But the problem is, that’s not particularly healthy. People are social animals who crave interaction, and affirmation. What Is A Makerspace? Makerspaces – also known as ‘hackerspaces’ and ‘hack labs’ – exist to provide a common space (and often the raw materials) for members of the local maker community to work collaboratively on creative projects. Some even offer ‘hotdesking’, where freelancers and remote workers can informally hire a desk for a short period of time. There’s a plethora of reasons why someone might want to open their own makerspace. But it needn’t be expensive, either. 3D Printer 3D printers are a must for any makerspace. There are a plethora of 3D printers to choose from. Laser Cutter Vacuum Former
Setting Up Your Own MakerSpace Since you already know that you want to set up a MakerSpace you know that it is an area that provides hands-on, creative ways for students to design, experiment, and invent as they engage in science, engineering, and tinkering.” (definition from edutopia) Before I started making specific plans for a MakerSpace in my library, I started reading everything that I could get my hands on that would inform me about such a space. I read online, searched out other libraries, schools, classrooms, and communities that had MakerSpaces, hit the library and Amazon looking for books about MakerSpaces, visited several MakerSpaces in the area, read blogs about MakerSpaces, and followed makers on Twitter. Even though I have a MakerSpace up and successfully running, I am still seeking out any information I can that will improve my space for my students.
Wizzbangz S.T.E.A.M with a Bang! - Maker Faire Orlando | The Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth! Our bus will be open to tour and we will display/demo projects that we have worked on with our educational classes and our Curiosity Hacked guild. These will include 3D printed solar car and robot, DIY Arduino Laser tag guns, 3D printed engineering/building tools for use with common house hold items, Mini robotics powered by scratch, Water powered bottle rockets and other hands on actives for adults and children to do. Categories: 3D Printing, 3D Scanning, Arduino, Art, Craft, Education, Electronics, Engineering, Hackerspace, LEGO, Makerspace, Robotics, Workshop Exhibit Location: OMA Parking Lot, Orlando Museum of Art About The Maker Wizzbangz Gwen Thompson first discovered her love for project based learning (PBL) while studying early childhood education.
Evolution of a Maker Space, From “Monstie Stuffie” Projects to a Giant Catapult littleBits activities at the circulation desk in Colleen Graves’s school library. Two years ago, I was asked to write an article for Knowledge Quest about how I created a maker space at Lamar Middle School in Flower Mound, TX. That first year of programming is so different from what I do now that I thought it pertinent to chart how our maker programming (#Makered) has evolved. During my first year as a librarian in 2012–13 my Teen Advisory Board (TAB) helped me redecorate a small office located behind our circulation desk. My director bought us some reading rockers, chalkboard paint, rain gutters, and 25 licenses for Minecraft. Starting off: “Take and Make” wall and workshops At the time, I wanted to make this room a collaborative room that housed our maker space. How the Lamar Middle School maker space evolved. In late April 2013, my TAB members helped me pick out some maker workshop ideas from the collaborative Google doc started by librarian P.C. Arduino, Magic 8 Balls, and a Theremin
New Ideas for Better STEAM Programs It was full STEAM ahead during the third week of SLJ’s online Maker Workshop. The lively group of public and school librarians (and Twitter followers using the #LTCmaker hashtag) heard from two leaders in the initiative to add art to STEM-based maker spaces, aka STEAM. Allison Vannatta of littleBits’ global education team shared news of their innovative electronic module kits. She was followed by Arapahoe (CO) Library District Supervisor of tech experience and digital services Nick Taylor revealing the latest development in his maker space realm. Open hardware ingenuity draws younger kids Back in 2011, MIT Media Lab alum Ayah Bdeir had an idea. The result was littleBits, a line of DIY electronics lessons that encourage young tinkerers design and prototype an amazing range of inventions. There is a huge and growing network of littleBits devotees, sharing ideas and lessons on the Community page of littleBits.cc, as well as on YouTube. The small color-coded modules are logically arranged.