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10/06 Creativity & Maker Education


1. House Keeping

MakerSpace Field Trip: According the survey, about 18% of you indicated no or little interest in a virtual filed trip. So I'm contacting the staff there to see their availability. In stead of a field trip, I'm considering inviting them to be guest speakers in our Zoom meeting. I'll keep you updated once got their responses.

For those living in Athens, you can actually go to the MakerSpace yourselves, not only for a field trip, but also for their training sessions to be able to use the equipment such as 3D printers and Laser cutters. But make sure you make an appointment with them before you go (https://www.libs.uga.edu/science/makerspace)



2. "Creativity" in Foundation Readings

We talked about our own definitions of creativity last week. You also did the creativity challenge. I've seen so many brilliant ideas. I'm looking forward to watching more of it. Now lets review what the foundations readings say about creativity.

ISTE Standards (innovative designers):

Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions. Students:

  • a. know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.

  • b. select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.

  • c. develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.

  • d. exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance

  • a. Think Creatively: Use a wide range of idea creation techniques; Create new and worthwhile ideas; Elaborate, refine, analyze, and evaluate original ideas to improve and maximize creative efforts.

  • b. Work Creatively with Others: Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively; Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work; Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas; View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation are part of a long-term, cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes.

  • c. Implement Innovation: Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur.


3. A Book to Share: "What do You do with an Idea?"


I like being with my idea. It made me feel more alive, like I could do anything. It encouraged me to think big... and then, to think bigger.





4. Maker Education

We have discussed that everyone is creative in their own way and creative confidence can be boosted by keeping trying without being judged. MakerSpace is a great way to cultivate student's creativity. Maker Education is representing at least two ISTE standards:

  • Creative Communicator: Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

  • Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

- Let's look at some example of what students do in a MakerSpace in this video.

- A Kahoot to check your understanding of the reading Unconventional wisdom about the maker movement.


5. Maker Project

The best way to learn about Maker Education is to make something. We are all makers – maybe not of robots but we certainly make other things: stories, music, cake, movies, hilarious memes, choreography, science discoveries, car repairs, crafts, photography, and on and on. You will explore some of the maker tools and create something new and interesting to you.

  • It is incredibly difficult to gauge how much time and effort each of you puts into a creative task. Assessing creativity seems somehow inappropriate. So here’s the best solution I can come up with when my goal is to provide you with an opportunity to truly pick something that you want to do but also make the workload equitable for everyone, regardless of choice.

  • After exploring the tools above – think of a project you’d like to do: design a comic strip, create a short piece of music, make a green screen video, write a piece of code using Tynker, etc. Both digital and physical projects are acceptable. My expectation is that you’ll choose a project that will take 3 to 4 hours to complete (assuming you’re not a perfectionist).

  • Build your project – then, link it / add a screenshot / whatever makes sense for your project to your "Maker Project" page on your portfolio.

  • Write a 500-800 word reflection describing your maker experience and insert it to your "Maker Project" page. In your reflection, discuss how experiences like this might support K-12 student learning. How does this activity relate to readings on creativity and maker education? It’s never a bad idea to quote readings – especially if you decide to include references to previous week’s readings (this is a great place to talk about meaningful learning with technology or UDL.)

  • Don’t forget to publish your "Maker Project" page. Make sure to share your Google files (if you are using them) so that it's public.

  • Your maker project is due on Oct 16th, Friday. You’ll share it at our MakerFaire October 20th, Tuesday.

  • The maker project is worth 15% of your grade: the project itself 8', the reflection 5', the presentation 2'.

There will be no class meeting next Tuesday, Oct 13th. But I am available to meet with you online by appointment (during class time or at another day/time). You are expected to spend several hours creating your maker project and documenting your progress. Pay close attention to the assignment description listed above.

The only task due next week is a project update that you’ll post to FlipGrid.  This update should be a brief overview of your process and any questions you might have. You may or may not have some or all of your final product to share. This video must be posted by next Tuesday, Oct 13th, at 11:59 pm (it's worth 1 point). Go here to record your video: https://flipgrid.com/135822a7. If you’re using the FlipGrid app, enter the code: 135822a7.



HOMEWORK

1. FlipGrid update of your Maker Project due next Tuesday, Oct 13th.

2. Maker project and reflection due next Friday, Oct 16th.

3. Start to work on your second post of Genius Hour Project (due Thursday Oct 22nd).

4. Check out this link to all of the references to maker education on the Barrow Elementary School Media Center blog written by Andy Plemmons, the school library media specialist.





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