High school

Introducing #MakerSlowChat!

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What is #MakerSlowChat?

This slow chat was inspired by Ryan Steele‘s #EdSlowChat and the need to bring back a weekly #makered chat that was run by awesome maker educator Nathan Stevens (this chat was originally started by Laura Blankenship and international educator Andrew Carle). At ISTE, Nathan, Diana, and I talked about bringing this maker education focused chat back with a new hashtag and whilst trying to decide on the new tag- we realized we really wanted to include our international friends and educators. Therefore, we thought a slow chat would allow anyone in any time zone to participate. Plus, it would give educators time to respond.

Why a slow chat?

Every week, I’ll post a question with the hashtag #MakerSlowChat. Instead of the fast and frenzied Twitter chat that ends in an hour, you’ll have a whole week to reflect, answer, respond, and add to the conversation. At your own pace, and in your favored time zone.

First Question- Week One

We wanted to start the conversation by finding out why others have decided to institute makerspaces into their K-12 school settings and find out how that foundational belief relates to your school’s mission/vision/goals.

#Makerslowchat

Hop on over to Twitter and make sure you use the #makerslowchat hashtag to be included in the conversation!

Week Two

2

Week Three

3

littleBits, Designing, Rapid Prototyping, and Libraries

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20160306_084844

7 YO describes AND Gate Logic

I have a new guest blog post up on Demco’s Ideas and Inspiration blog about two of my favorite things: littleBits and library makerspaces!

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the post:

“Libraries are actually timeworn makerspaces in the sense that our communal space is a venerable place to find experts and create knowledge. The only difference is that we are moving beyond traditional literacies by adding making and invention to the mix. Now our students can create tangible things and create knowledge through that experience. Our patrons can make meaning through making. We want making and inventing to be accessible for all of our students and patrons.”

 

The post also discusses: design thinking, design challenges, playing to learn, and why making fits in the library.

Read the whole post here!

We house our maker materials in the library BECAUSE IT IS The one place students have access to at any point in the school day.