Digital Learning at Grant Wood AEA
  • Home
  • Learn
    • Summer Summit
    • ITEC 2019
    • Iowa 1 to 1
    • Green Screen
    • Stop Motion
    • Physical Computing
    • Free Media
    • AR/VR in Schools
  • Think
    • Blog
    • BrightBytes
    • Tech Coaches
    • Blended Learning
    • Think Make Innovate
    • Edtech Take Out
  • Grow
    • Pear Deck Resources
    • Makerspaces
    • Google Expeditions
    • GWAEA Online Resources
    • OER
    • Computer Science
  • COVID19
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Learn
    • Summer Summit
    • ITEC 2019
    • Iowa 1 to 1
    • Green Screen
    • Stop Motion
    • Physical Computing
    • Free Media
    • AR/VR in Schools
  • Think
    • Blog
    • BrightBytes
    • Tech Coaches
    • Blended Learning
    • Think Make Innovate
    • Edtech Take Out
  • Grow
    • Pear Deck Resources
    • Makerspaces
    • Google Expeditions
    • GWAEA Online Resources
    • OER
    • Computer Science
  • COVID19
  • Contact

GWAEA DL May 2017 Update

5/8/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Link to May Update
In the Update:
  • Sign Up for Think, Make, Innovate Makerspace Professional Learning in June!
  • Latest episodes of the EdTech Takeout
  • Latest episode of Think, Make, Innovate, the makerspace show
  • PD Opportunities: Digital Learning Institute 2017-18, Defined STEM Workshop, Taking VR and Google Expeditions Further Course, & Iowa City Summit Featuring Google for Education coming in August

~Stacy Behmer, Coordinator of Digital Learning - @sbehmer +StacyBehmer
For more posts like this, please subscribe to our blog! You can also connect with us on social media if you Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter or add us to your circles on Google+. 
0 Comments

True or False: Makerspace

5/4/2017

0 Comments

 
I get the very lucky opportunity to talk with students, educators and makers about makerspaces.  After a few great conversations about makerspaces, I thought I'd share some big ideas that have come out about creativity, making and address some misconceptions that people have expressed through a version of True or False: Makerspaces...

You have to have a dedicated space to be able to talk about makerspaces.
False.
 Makerspaces are the intersection of creativity and community.  Those moments can happen anywhere at anytime.  You could have a quick maker moment using items found in students’ desks.  You could have a small makerspace in your classroom or a mobile makerspace in your school that could travel to multiple classrooms.  Maybe your makerspace lives in your school’s media center or you have a dedicated makerspace in your school.  Maker moments live in any place that allows creative thinking and collaboration to learn and create.

Students must be completely self-directed in a makerspace.
False.  I’ve always advocated for students to be able to have choice in a makerspace.  However, there are times that a student may not know what they want to do in an unstructured time.  This may be new and uncomfortable for them.  With that being said, I still believe that ALL students are makers.  You don’t have to be a gifted student to be creative, you don’t have a to a geek to make something new.  It’s great to be able to offer students support in a school makerspace, because sometimes new creative avenues can form from a bit of structure. 
  • Have a set of makerspace challenge cards in your space to give students a direction to get started.  
  • Link the making back to what students are learning about in class time to give them a strong background to support their making or allow them to make a product to demonstrate their learning.  
  • Take on a school-wide makerspace theme, like a Think, Make, Innovate makerspace challenge episode for one month and see what the students can come up with.
English Language Arts and Makerspace are a match made in heaven.
True.
  We’ve had students create costumes out of cardboard for a reader’s theater.  Students have recreated green screen fairy tales to test their story telling skills.  Actually, makerspace projects can be a great extension or connection to any subject.  Students have tested their math skills by designing a game for a robot.  They've learned about scale through 3D printing.  Students have tested their science and physics skills by creating catapults.  And circuits by designing celebration machines.  Creativity can easily be connected to any subject.

Makerspaces need to have specific tools or technology.
False.
 A makerspace should be equipped with tools that the community needs.  Every makerspace community is unique and there is no magic list of what you need to have in your makerspace.  Some of the most creative projects I’ve seen come from very simple tools you probably already have around your classroom by redesigning common objects into extraordinary objects.  Simply collect materials from recycle bins around the school and see what the students can do with it.  It is an interesting challenge to take something unusable and turn it into something that is useful. 
If you do dive into purchasing tools or technology, make sure it aligns with skills you want your students to be practicing.  Exploring coding? Consider robots or free online coding programs.  Exploring storytelling? Take a look at iPad apps that encourages unique storytelling like stop motion or green screen.

It’s important to be flexible in a makerspace.
True. Flexibility is a key requirement in a makerspace for both students and teachers.  Students may start a project and it may not turn out the way they intended.  Problem solving and creativity can take you a long way when things don’t necessarily go the way that you expect.  Teachers need to have flexible thinking in a makerspace.  Teachers need not be afraid of an environment where students are making decisions.  Often times when students are in the process of making, they are very engaged, focused and learning from each other.  
Teachers really need to think of themselves as a learner with the students during their making process.  Don’t feel like you need to be an expert on the topic every students is exploring and creating.  Ask questions and learn about the ways that your students think.  Finding out “What inspired this idea?
What is working well with your design? What did you learn about yourself during the challenge?” brings you
into their design world.
Sometimes this could feel awkward, but consider this thought from Krissy Venosdale...

Rereading #CreativeConfidence from a teacher lens... this matters. #makered #makerspace #elemaker #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram

A post shared by Krissy Venosdale (@krissyvenosdale) on Apr 2, 2017 at 9:06am PDT

Creative confidence (which is also a great book) will have a trickle down effect to your students.  Are you interested in building up your creative confidence?  Come join us for some summer learning at our Week of Making! Plus Krissy Venosdale will be here!! 
Click here to learn more and get registered.
Picture
~Amber Bridge, Digital Learning Consultant
@abridgesmith
0 Comments

    Connect



    Blog Feed

    RSS Feed


    Like Us on Facebook

    Digital Learning at Grant Wood Area Education Agency

    Promote Your Page Too

    Our YouTube Show

    Picture

    Our Podcast

    Picture

    Our Tweets!

    Tweets by @DLGWAEA

    Authors

    Stacy Behmer
    Jonathan Wylie
    Gina Rogers
    Amber Bridge
    Beth Swantz

    Mindy Cairney
    Lynn Kleinmeyer
    Corey Rogers


    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014


    Categories

    All
    3d Printing
    4Cs
    Assessment
    Augmented Reality
    Best Of The Web
    Blogging
    Board Games
    Coding
    Collaboration
    Communication
    Computer Science
    Connected Classrooms
    Creativity
    Device Deployment
    Digital Citizenship
    Digital Classrooms
    Elementary
    Flipped Classroom
    Formative Assessment
    GAFE
    Google
    Google Apps EDU
    Google Expeditions
    Green Screen
    Hattie
    Innovate
    Ipad
    ISTE
    Literacy
    Make
    Makerspace
    Office 365
    Pear Deck
    Personalized Learning
    PLN
    Podcast
    Professional Learning
    Research
    Service Learning
    Student Choice
    Think
    ThinkMakeInnovate
    Update
    Video
    Virual Reality
    Wakelet
    Web 2.0
    Youtube

Grant Wood Area Education Agency extends equal opportunities in its employment practices, educational programs and services, and does not discriminate on the basis of color, gender, race, national origin, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status or as otherwise prohibited by law. If you believe you or your child has been discriminated against or treated unjustly, please contact the Agency’s Equity Coordinator, Maria Cashman, at 319-399-6847 or 800-332-8488. Grant Wood AEA, 4401 Sixth St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.

It is the goal of Grant Wood Area Education Agency that the information on our website be accessible to individuals with visual, hearing or cognitive disabilities. Good faith efforts have been made to ensure that our site complies with the world wide web consortium’s web content accessibility guidelines. Learn more here.