Forty-eight teachers and administrators from the four member school districts and Robert Morris University participated in the 2016 Maker Educator Boot Camp. The Boot Camp was conducted by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh June 20 - 23and was held throughout the Museum.
The first two days participants rotated through 4 workshops which featured the four segments of the MakeShop: Hard & Found Materials, Fiber & Soft Materials, Electronics, and Digital. On the third day participants delved deeper into one area of Maker media. The choices were Makey Makey, Woodworking, Fiber/eTextiles, Storytelling, Game Design, and Hummingbird Robotics.
The fourth and final day participants found themselves examining and identifying evidence of learning and having dialog over the vision for their individual schools.
The fourth day the participants were faced with their final challenge. Each small group was given a set of criteria that were to be incorporated into a design and creating. Below are a few photos showing some of the collaboration and results.
Members of the
Kappa Delta Pi, Alpha Zeta Omicron Chapter of Robert Morris University
sponsored a “Make a Bird Feeder” booth at the Earth Day Celebration sponsored
by Moon Township Parks & Recreation Department. Children of all ages were excited with the
opportunity to create a bird feeder of their own design. One child asked, “What are the Rules? The RMU student responded with “There are no
rules.” “Wow.”
Below you will find the Home Page and the registration links for the School Maker Faire being hosted at the Avonworth High School. Please review with your faculty and submit your entry. The deadline for entries is April 24. The Faire is May 10th.
Let Ken or Ron know if you have any questions. I think I know what I want to do. Its a little messy but it is fun.
Be creative
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Something that became apparent as our committee met was that "maker" projects were being incorporated into our curriculum even though we didn't have a "designated" spot. This was exciting as we see the new space as a type of "garage." (It's even going to be a part of our name). It will serve as a place where teachers can bring classes to design and create but also as a place where teachers can "shop" for the needed supplies and then transport them to their classrooms.
In addition to planning and renovating the new space, we are spending time identifying where maker projects are occurring already and looking at curricular areas where we can infuse technology and creative expressions. We think that science is a natural fit so are beginning in this subject area.
Here is a sampling of some learning projects that are already taking shape:
Osborne's gARTen Club where Art and gardening meet
Designing with LittleBits
Creating an enrichment items for the zoo
Mobile for Goat Enrichment toy
Original creation of music
At Quaker Valley, we formed a committee to look at growing our use of maker space areas in our two elementary schools and how to best incorporate this philosophy into our curriculum. The committee is led by our Director of Instruction and Learning and includes the principals, technology teachers, librarians, art teachers, and academic specialists from both Osborne and Edgeworth. Additional members are a Kindergarten teacher, the Middle School librarian, and our Program Development Specialist on loan to ASSET Science.
Our Middle School library underwent a major renovation forming areas that tap into each of the STEAM aspects. Students can explore robotics, circuitry, stop-motion video, voice and video recording/production, as well as a host of other options.
Video Recording Booth
Last year our elementary schools’ computer labs underwent a makeover to include flexible seating, 3-D printers, robotics and curriculum changes to incorporate coding. Our kindergarten is piloting ideas/lessons from the Children’s Innovation Project and across the district, professional development opportunities are being offered based upon Harvard University’s Project Zero.
Osborne's tech lab
Given all of these factors we decided to develop a philosophy to help us stay focused so that the new space would reflect our educational objectives and philosophies. We believe that maker-centered learning:
enhances content and curriculum
involves experimentation and exploration
values the design process over the product
fosters collaboration and deeper thinking
develops agency through failure and persistence as part of the innovative and creative process
encourages real-world connections
promotes opportunities in which adults and children share the roles of learner and teacher
utilizes dispositions that encourage students to find innovative solutions
Now that we were able to articulate our philosophy, we were able to proceed with creating the spaces. On recommendation from Ron, we enlisted the help of Anne Fullenkamp from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh to help design the areas. The new maker spaces will be located in a classroom off of each elementary library. These areas are accessible from the library and a hallway, are in the center of the upper floor classrooms. The rooms have windows so children and teachers can see what is happening in the space and thus, spark excitement and curiosity.
It is definitely a work-in-progress but we are now at the point of being able to make the final decisions on the design elements. Here are the before photos:
On December 12, I took a trip to upstate New York to learn about the largest 3D printing center in the world. It is located at SUNY New Paltz. I was able to meet with Mr. Aaron Nelson who was incredibly resourceful and able to answer my questions. The two videos below do an accurate job explaining what SUNY's goal is.
This is the main space where the printers are working, it was quite hot in this room as they have 30+ printers going sometimes all at once. They are in the process of moving to a room next door that is under renovation...
There were many different models all over the room they were working on, some for fun, some for art projects, and many others for engineering students. Many of the pieces were built and then either glued together or some snap together. They use different versions of design software depending on what each student wants to use, but Aaron told me his favorite is Rhino 3D.
Overview
While I was visiting, I brought along a few common questions many school districts have. I found that many of the answers aligned closely with ideas we have already had here at Robert Morris University. Even though some of the questions were not fully answered, it is nothing to worry about as we are at the beginning stages of this project. What is important to note, is that SUNY is also taking similar steps in having their students work with hands on learning processes just as we are attempting to implement in the grade schools.
So what is the point of this center?
3D printing technology is something that is not going to go away. We must allow students to have access to it, and realize it is something they can use in every field they are going into. Whether it is engineering, art, business, education etc. The innovation center is there to allow students easy access and experience to working with these tools. Any student can have access to printing whatever they want (within reason) in 3D.
How did you receive the grant for this center?
Historically, the Hudson Valley has always been a source of industry, and there is an organization called Hudson Valley 3D, and they wrote a grant, and got money to purchase many 3D printers, and the innovation center sort of took off from there. He noted that getting the beginning grant was a little difficult, but after that, that money just made more money.
What is the Hudson Valley Manufacturing Center?
The Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center is the "parent" organization of the Innovation Center. Half of the HVAMC is in the lab in Engineering and focuses mainly on external clients, the other half is the Innovation Center which faces the internal campus community. Both will be housed in the new space that is being renovated.
What are the hopeful outcomes of having your students work with 3D printers and hands on material in general?
Aaron shared with me many similar ideas that we are hoping to instill upon students in the grade schools. He said many jobs require such hands on knowledge, no matter what career they are choosing, and he hopes that their center is the first of many to spring up around the area.
How could this be applicable to K-12?
He knows from first hand experience that college students are ecstatic about working with this technology, so he can only dream of how happy younger students are. His innovation team is working closely to further push this technology and new "hands on" approach throughout the school. They have been starting to reach out to elementary and middle schools in the area to find out if they would be interested in tours or talking about grants to get designated spaces for their schools. I told him I would follow up at a later date to see how this is going.
How can teachers successfully integrate this into their curriculum?
SUNY has just made a new certificate program open to ALL students called Fabrication and Design. They are proposing it to be a minor by next semester, once again open to all. Through their proposal, they hope to sit down with department heads of each school and propose they create a new class or some type of training on using this technology. The hope is that most students take advantage of it so they can list their experience when it comes time to applying for jobs. Ambitious entrepreneurs can use it to produce parts for a potential small business they are working on. Art students can use it with projects. Engineers can design and prototype parts at a rapid pace. Education majors can become familiar with it so they can bring that knowledge into schools. At the college level, it is almost easier, as you can directly provide students ways of using it because they have already selected a major.
How did you convince professors/department heads this was the right way to go about teaching?
He wants all professors to attempt lessons using the technology or at least to mention it throughout classes as a resource for them to use on campus. While they are meeting with the department heads he wants each to come up with what their philosophy on education. This sounds like just a "teachery" thing to say, but he really wants professors to analyze lessons and see how they can fit in this new technology and idea of hands on learning. He wants them to really think and come up with their own personal idea of how they want to go about teaching.
The other great idea is the concept of providing a support staff for teachers. He said many teachers have used the new software, but they call him frantically sometimes mid-lesson to get answers to why some things are not working, he said he wants to have tech-savvy students or other people hired and ready to answer questions or set things up for professors.
What were the steps/research that led you to 3D printing and hands on learning, and how are you going to continue to prove it is a viable means of teaching?
We both agreed that there is little research on 3D printers or Makerspaces in general, but that is because it is so new. We know that it is here to stay though. He explained that he is using personal experience right now to drive whether or not things are successful or not. He mentioned that many students use this technology in classrooms and then go out and utilize those same concepts in their field. He wants to create a log of personal reflections/thoughts on the program and if it worked for them or not.
Conclusion
Overall, my visit to SUNY New Paltz was quite eye opening, and all the more reassuring that we are on the right track here with the Ohio River Consortium. I gave Aaron several copies of our goals and information about us, and told him to share it with his education department and maybe they can start something similar. All in all, it was very reaffirming to see that even though we are working to reach a younger age, we are still aligning with the largest innovation center in the world.
I will be back up in that area in March 2016, and Aaron said I was more than welcome to visit again!
Last week a group of teachers from Cornell took a field trip with Dr. Ronald Perry from RMU to learn about making from some of the area’s experts. We visited Melissa Butler and Jeremy Boyle of the Children’s Innovation Project at Allegheny Traditional Academy and we toured the MAKESHOP at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh with Rebecca Grabman. It was a great opportunity to both see how Melissa and Jeremy were working with students K through 5 and what steps the Children’s Museum had taken to organize and design a space to inspire curiosity in an informal setting.
After our visit we were able to debrief as a group and identified the following take aways:
It is about the process, not the stuff. At Allegheny Traditional Academy we were not wowed by the technology that was used in the classroom. The students were using for the most part lower tech items, such as circuit blocks. We witnessed thoughtful questioning strategies being used with kids and opportunities for students to explore and wonder about how things work. This process is used across the curriculum in all content areas at Allegheny Traditional Academy and is a centerpiece of their professional development.This was an example of a school prioritizing quality of technology integration over quantity.
A successful maker program needs to start with kindergarten and be thoughtfully planned through the upper grades. We learned how Melissa and Jeremy started with just a few students and built their program through an entire school over the course of several years. Every lesson they taught or planned for their students is closely connected to their goals. The program was mapped out for an entire year for all grade levels.
We need to spend time looking at our curriculum and identifying our weaknesses. We should spend our time trying something new with lessons that are already not working as well as we would like. Through this process we will be able to find what works for us and develop a program that is not a replica of another school’s but a reflection of our own needs and school culture. We are going to need to make the time to sift through curriculum and materials and reflect on how and where we need to make the changes. This is a large undertaking that is going to take a lot of staff time and collaboration, but we believe this is an important investment for our students.
