Tinkering Space Interview: Megan Schiller Today I’m joined by Megan Schiller of The Art Pantry, as part of our ongoing series of inspiring conversations that center on how to set up creativity hubs, or tinkerspaces. If you’re scratching your head because you can’t figure out where to put your child’s art materials, want to turn your laundry room into an art zone, or tend to shift furniture to make room for creative supplies, these interviews are sure to give you food for thought. Megan Schiller is a creative parent with an impressive background in art education, who now runs an amazing online kid-friendly art store called The Art Pantry where she also consults families on how to set up their very own Art Pantry (check out her very generous giveaway at the end of this post). Can you tell us about your family? I am so grateful to have such a loving family! How would you describe your space? Our art space is located in our sunroom, just off the living room. What’s the inspiration for your creative space? Great question!
Autodesk Launches Tinkerplay App, Making 3D Modeling & Printing Easy & Fun We all know how important 3D modeling and printing will be in the years to come. If I had children, I would be teaching them at the earliest age possible how to model with CAD software, and ultimately how to use a 3D printer, as the world our children will be entering as adults will likely be foreign to what we are all familiar with today. Autodesk realizes the importance of 3D modeling and printing on future generations, and how important it is to get younger generations using their products and services at an early age. The best way to teach children, and even adults, about a new concept or how to use a new technology is by creating a learning experience which is fun, exciting, and rewarding. That’s just what Autodesk aims to accomplish with the release of their new Tinkerplay application. Tinkerplay is based on the Modio app which Autodesk acquired last year.
How to Use the “4 C’s” Rubrics This excerpt appears in the Buck Institute for Education's book, "PBL for 21st Century Success: Teaching Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity." Rubrics for each of the "4 C's" are in the book, and we offer guidance below on how to use them in a PBL context. They are also available to download on BIE's website at the following links: What these rubrics assess These rubrics describe what good critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity & innovation look like in the context of Project Based Learning. What these rubrics do NOT assess: “content” These rubrics are designed to assess only the 4 C’s, not subject-area knowledge in, say, math, history, or science. How these rubrics align with Common Core State Standards In these rubrics, note that: Specific ELA standards are cited in the “At Standard” column only, but their intent is reflected in the “Approaching” and “Below” columns too. How to use these rubrics How these rubrics are organized
A Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources "There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015." What is a makerspace? You’ve no doubt been hearing that word more than a few times over the past several years. Makerspaces, also called hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs, are collaborative spaces where people gather to get creative with DIY projects, invent new ones, and share ideas. Since the first official makerspace convened six years ago in a library in upstate New York, libraries have remained an ideal setting for makerspace events across the country. Many offer community resources like 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies, and more. There were more than 135 million adult makers, more than half of the total adult population in America, in 2015. Articles & Blog Posts on Makerspaces 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.) 9.) 12.) Maker Faire Makerspaces Directories 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) Revitalizing Community Spaces
Episodes | Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show! S4E1 Mini S3E1 Mini S2E8 Mini S2E7 Mini S2E6 Mini S2E5 Mini S2E4 Mini S2E3 Mini S2E2 Mini S2E1 Mini S1E4 Full S1E7 Mini S1E6 Mini S1E5 Mini S1E4 Mini S1E3 Full S1E3 Mini S1E2 Mini S1E1 Mini S1E2 Full S1E1 Full Learning Pathways: Descriptive or Prescriptive? A few months ago, in a post entitled Scaffolding Web Literacy Through Learning Pathways, I differentiated between training pathways ("a series of steps that lead to the individual being able to reproduce knowledge or action") and learning pathways ("experiences lead[ing] to the re-shaping of... future behaviour"). Descriptive/Prescriptive In this post, I want to dive deeper into learning pathways, dividing these types of pathways into broadly two groups. Descriptive pathways approaches seek to acknowledge the ways that people willfully choose to earn badges. Given the "pluses and minuses" of each, it's worth exploring how a combination of these approaches could work in practice. Re-evaluation As human beings we are constantly re-evaluating our place in the world. Sense-making often occurs after an experience: that doesn’t render the process any less meaningful, even if that process has seemed peculiarly arbitrary and idiosyncratic. Conclusion Banner image credit: Jared Tarbell
27 Ways to Inspire Students to Innovate (Infographic) via MindShift Educator Mia MacMeekin made this infographic about ways to inspire students to think more deeply about how innovation applies to them. It’s a helpful way to begin a conversation about what it means to innovate, a word that sometimes seems to belong in the adult domain of business and is estranged from how students think about living their lives. This article appeared on Mindshift on November 29 2013 and was written by Katrina Schwartz. The infographic was produced by Mia MacMeekin. Like what you see? Related What the Future of Learning Might Look Like via MindShift Education and learning could look radically different in the next few years. In "Assessment" 27 Teacher Actions That Help Promote Valid Assessment Data There is often talk about assessment–its forms, frequency, and the integration of gleaned data to revise planned instruction.
What’s Up with STEM for 2015? A MiddleWeb Blog My fingers are crossed for 2015 as the best STEM year ever! I’ve been looking around to see what directions STEM programs seem to be taking this year. At first glance, it appears that deciding what a STEM program should look like is an ongoing conundrum for the K-12 education world. I decided to scrutinize what’s being described as “STEM” these days using resources from the National Academies and the American Society for Engineering Education, as well as my own work with the Engaging Youth through Engineering project. If you’d like to have a good look at some basic STEM principles, you might start with these three publications. ► Successful STEM Education Programs (National Research Council) ► Examination of Integrated STEM Curricula as a Means Toward Quality K-12 Engineering Education (Research to Practice) ► STEM Integration in K-12 Education: Status, Prospects, and an Agenda for Research (National Academies Press). ✔︎ Criteria for STEM Programs 1. Goals for STEM 2015
2013 Technology Outlook for STEM+ Education - The New Media Consortium The Technology Outlook for STEM+ Education 2013-2018: An NMC Horizon Project Sector Analysis was released as a collaborative effort between the New Media Consortium (NMC), the Centro Superior para la Enseñanza Virtual (CSEV), Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Control at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Education Society (IEEE). This report will inform education leaders about significant developments in technologies supporting STEM+ (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Twelve emerging technologies are identified across three adoption horizons over the next one to five years, as well as key trends and challenges expected to continue over the same period, giving educators, administrators, and policymakers a valuable guide for strategic technology planning across STEM+ education.
Useful Tools Students Can Use to Create 3D Models (Work on Chromebooks too) January 21, 2015 Below are two useful tools you can use with your students to create 3D models on the cloud. You do not need to download any software, the tools are web-based and, best of all, work on Chromebooks so those of you teaching with Chromebooks will find them handy. 1- Design Something This is an application for 3D modeling which works on both Chrome and Firefox. Design Something allows students to easily build 3D model using pre-defined shapes. They can also use tools such as extrude and sweep to create shapes from 2D sketching. Watch this video to learn more about this app 2- 3DTin 3DTin is a 3D modeller that allows you to design models by placing cubes of different colors on top of each other. Watch this video to learn more about 3DTin
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.
11 Inspiring TED Talks for Modern Educators There is no reason why teachers shouldn’t embrace a role as fundamental players in the creativity revolution sweeping across global economies and societies. But being an innovative modern educator on the cutting edge of educational design can become a tedious effort without outside inspiration and support from peers. Instead of being bombarded by the same old educator rhetoric, you can rediscover a sense of your vision and momentum by gleaning something from these selected and diverse inspiring TED talks below. 1. John Hunter and the World Peace Game By teachers, for teachers, this is a TED classic presenter who brought relevance to his 4th-grade classrooms in Virginia with this creative game meant to simulate real world geo-political constructs and diplomatic scenarios, all in the pursuit of world peace. 2. This is Sugata Mitra’s follow up award-winning TED Prize talk about self-motivated learners from his “Hole in the Wall” experiments in the streets of New Delhi in India. 3. 4. 5. 6.
3D Printers Add a New Dimension to Classrooms When Ron Smith first saw a 3D printer in action, he knew the device belonged in his Engineering and Metal Fabrication program at Nestucca Junior/Senior High School in Cloverdale, Ore. The technology could guide students all the way through the manufacturing process — from concept to completion — and reward them with an object they could hold in their hands. But it wasn’t until Smith had an Afinia 3D printer in his classroom that he realized its value as an educational tool. Computer-assisted design (CAD) software by itself is great, he says. “Motivating students is one of the biggest jobs in teaching,” Smith says. That level of interaction creates engagement, and it’s a big reason why more K–12 schools are investing in the technology, says Pete Basiliere, research vice president at Gartner. “The emphasis on preparing students for specific tests can mean there’s less time to explore tools like 3D printers, and slower recognition of what they can do for education,” he says. SOURCE: U.S.