tinkering

How to Run a Tech Take Apart Workshop in Your Makerspace

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How to run a tech take apart workshop in your makerspace // Learn how to plan for, setup and run a tech take apart workshop in your makerspace

  How to Run a Tech Take Apart Workshop in Your Makerspace Tech Take Apart is a fun, low-budget activity that gets students excited about seeing how the inner workings of electronics function.  That being said, my first time attempting this activity with middle school students was a disaster (so much so that I only … Read more

3 Reasons Why You Need to Have Tools in a Makerspace

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3 Reasons Why You Need to Have Tools in a Makerspace | When I talked about how a makerspace isn't defined by the tools it does or does not have, some misinterpreted me as saying that tools were optional in makerspaces. In this post, I discuss the importance of tools and how they can create vital learning experiences for our students. But at the same time, it's less about what those tools are and more about what they can do for our students.

Reflecting on “Defining Makerspaces” Just over a year ago, I wrote my post on Defining Makerspaces.  It was inspired after receiving a criticism about how my makerspace wasn’t a “real makerspace” because we didn’t have any power tools.  The focus on that article was how a makerspace is defined more by the learning experiences of … Read more

Read This Book: The Art of Tinkering

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Read This Book: The Art of Tinkering | This amazing, beautiful designed book looks at the importance of tinkering in the creative process. It includes profiles of artists, project tutorials and lots of examples of tinkering in the fine arts. | RenovatedLearning.com

The Exploratorium & The Tinkering MOOC The Exploratorium is an amazing hands-on science museum in San Francisco.  They created a makerspace for their patrons called The Tinkering Studio.   I participated in their Tinkering MOOC this past summer and it was a fantastic experience.  They published their book, The Art of Tinkering, back in early 2014. … Read more

Read This Book: Making Makers

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Making Makers: Kids, Tools, and the Future of Innovation | This book takes a look at the childhood expereinces of many prominent makers, and looks at what common factors they had. It also offers advice for helping raise the next generation of makers.

“What is a ‘maker’? Quite simply, makers make things. Some makers build robots, some sew clothes, some prepare food, some design tools, some construct houses. ‘Maker’ isn’t a title conveyed after passing some test or degree program; rather, it is a self-identification.  It’s also not, by any stretch of the imagination, a new concept.” In … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 6

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 6 | After the final week of the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC, I look back and reflect on what I've learned throughout the course.

Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me.  See Week One, Week Two , Week Three, Week Four, and Week Five  for more. Wow, these last six weeks have flown … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 5

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 5 | In this post, I reflect on what I learned in the reading and activities for week 5 of the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 5 Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me.  See Week One, Week Two , Week Three and Week Four  for more Thoughts on Readings This week’s … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 4

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 4 | In this post, I share about my experiences in the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC. I learn how to create paper circuits and sewn circuits. I also learn about tying national science standards to maker lessons.

  Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 4 Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me.  See Week One, Week Two  and Week Three  for more Thoughts on Readings & … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 3

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 3 | In my third week in the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC, I share my first ever art-bot. Plus, my thoughts on the week's readings and Google Hangout.

  Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 3 Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me.  See Week One, and Week Two for more Thoughts on Readings One of the … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 2

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 2 | In week 2 of the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC, I create my own circuit blocks with wood and components. I gain a much greater respect for the awesome maker tools that are available.

  Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 2 Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me.  See Week One reflections here Thoughts on Readings This week’s readings focused on … Read more

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 1 Reflections

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Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 1 | In Week 1 of the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC, I take a look at what the course will entail and talk about my takeaways from the readings.

Tinkering Fundamentals: Week 1   Tinkering Fundamentals is a massive open online course (MOOC) put on by San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum every summer.  I’m going to be chronicling my six weeks with this course here so you can learn along with me Last summer, I heard about the Tinkering Fundamentals MOOC from my friend Colleen … Read more