Enoch Pratt Library Presentation (january 2016)

Digital Harbor Foundation

• Youth

• Families

• Community

Peek into a Makerspace

Collaboration

Creativity

Engaged youth

Open-Ended

Reflection

Youth driven, Teacher supported

Curiosity & Interest

Productivity CreativityMaking

What is a Makerspace?• Not about the the technology or equipment

• Enables people to:

• Feel free to experiment

• Feel free to fail

• Have the opportunity to progress/iterate

Start Small• Start where you are &

Use what you have

• Cardboard Challenge

• LED Name Tags

• Art Bots

• Paper Flashlights

• Straw Rockets

Starting OutMakerspace in a Box

What to include?• Playdoh • Cardboard & Paper • Tape, Rubber bands, Clips • LEDs, Copper Tape, Batteries • Motors and Gears • Toys that move • Pool Noodles

Getting Started• Start Small:

• LED Name Tags

• Art Bots

• diy.org

• cardboardchallenge.com

• Increment:

• MaKey MaKey (makeymakey.com)

• Scratch (scratch.mit.edu)

Project: LED Name Tag

• Design a name tag with an LED that represents something about yourself.

• Use the following supplies: LED, Coin Cell Battery, Colored Foam, Adhesive Foam, Markers, Scissors, Tape

• Constraints:

• Must use 1 LED

• Time: 10 minutes

Project Prompts

• Open ended, include constraints

• Integrate Design Process: Plan, Make, Share (receive feedback and iterate throughout)

• Move away from step-by-step directions

• Allow for scaffolding: Options for scaling up

Example Prompt: Art Bots

• Using your supplies, create a robot that draws

• Constraints:

• Must use 1 electric toothbrush

Scaffolding• Start with the prompt

• Give time for brain storming and prototyping

• Provide a sample or prototype to be reverse engineered

• Finally, provide step-by-step directions

Leveling Up…

• Makey Makey ($50) • Raspberry Pi (Raspberry STEM $145) • Paper/Vinyl Cutter ($250)

Advanced

• Arduino and Internet of Things ($100) • Printrbot Simple 3D Printer ($600)

What We’ve Learned

Creativity + Productivity• Creativity

• individuality and personalization

• increases ownership

• Productivity

• Solves a problem

• Addresses a need

Art Bots v1

Art Bots v2

Project Ideas

Wind Tube

$40 in materials + craft suppliesExplore aerodynamics

Scratch Art

• Painted CD

• Wooden Skewer

Art Bots

< $2 each - Simple art robotsPool Noodles, Electric Toothbrush, Battery, Markers

Rubber Bands

CD Rom Hovercraft

Straw Rockets

Paper Rockets

Paper Circuits

MaKey MaKey

$45 - Turns anything conductive into a keyboard- Playdoh Game Controller - Veggie Piano -

Balancing Real World Tech With Real World Access

#3DforED

Real AccessReal Tech

Real Tech

• Applicable

• Used by professionals in the field

• Jobs available or in demand

Real Access• Widely Available

• Supports multiple platforms

• Windows and Mac at a minimum

• Inexpensive or Free

• Web based for the win!!

Applicable Accessible

Graphic Design: Photoshop

PhotoshopAccessible Applicable

3 8

Costly Lots of real world applications

Does work on a variety of platforms Real world jobs available

Gimp

Gimp

Accessible Applicable

9 4

Free The tool itself does not have many jobs

Supports a variety of platforms The skills you learn with the tool can be very in demand

http://www.gimp.org/

Programming: Scratch

Scratch

Accessible Applicable

10 1

Free The tool itself does not have many jobs

Web based The fundamentals can help you learn more applicable languages

scratch.mit.edu

JavaScript

JavaScriptAccessible Applicable

8 6

Free Lots of real world jobs

Web based

Access > Applicability

• Teach core concepts

• Move to more applicable as fast as possible

• Have a road map to applicable

Applicable > Access

• Share alternative tools that are more accessible

• Start with accessible and move to applicable quickly

Outcomes

• Teach how to learn, not a specific product.

• Favor accessible but have a plan to get to applicable

Resources• Book: Invent to Learn by Gary Stager & Sylvia

Martinez

• Book: Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction by Dr. Griffith Saul, and others

• Book: Tinkering: Kids Learn by Making by Curt Gabrielson

Resources

• Book: How to Build a Hovercraft: Air Cannons, Magnetic Motors, and 25 Other Amazing DIY Science Projects by Stephen Voltz & Fritz Grobe

• Make: Magazine & Website

• www.familymakenight.org

More Resources

HTTP://DHF.IO/ROOM2MAKE

DHF Blueprint

• http://blueprint.digitalharbor.org

Q&A

Contact

• Jonathan Prozzi

• [email protected]

• @jonathanprozzi

• www.digitalharbor.org

• @DHFBaltimore