make/SHIFT Virtual: Top Takeaways from Day Four
Did you miss day four of make/SHIFT Virtual? Today's webinar topic was Maker Curriculum and our speakers covered a wide variety of information including intellectual property OERs, how to take your maker curriculum and camp into a virtual environment, ways to incorporate multi-disciplinary faculty/programs in your makerspace, and more! Read on to discover our top five takeways from day four of #makeSHIFTvirtual.
Top Takeaways from Day Four
1. There is not a "one size fits all" makerspace.
Zack Dowell from Folsom Lake College, who participated in the CCC Maker initiative, shared that his space has three guiding principles: autonomy, community and sustainability. He also explained that they are a "discipline-agnostic general education makerspace." Determine your community's needs and adapt your space, programming, and curriculum accordingly. Empower students to thrive, succeed and own the makerspace culture.
2. Reimagine how to engage with your students with maker-centered learning.
Speakers from the West Houston Institute at Houston Community College (HCC) explained how they incorporate maker learning across all disciplines. HCC English professor Meghan Roddy discussed how she uses the makerspace in her English course. While you will most likely experience some resistance from certain faculty and/or students, try to engage them by encouraging them to get their hands dirty and creating a sense of belonging. Empower your doubters to actually use the machines and make something!
Win them over by sharing how project-based maker learning will benefit them in the future. Eric Saliim from North Carolina Central University reinforced Meghan's presentation by describing differences between traditional education models and maker-centered learning models.
3. Don't forget to teach the importance of intellectual property to your makers.
Jelani Odlum from Michelson 20MM Foundation discussed the Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property (Michelson IP). They provide instructors, students, and creators with a first-of-its-kind resource library that explores patents, copyrights, trademarks, and more FOR FREE! More than 70 NACCE member colleges are supported by Michelson IP resources – sign up for the educator portal here.
4. Teachers are makers...they might just not know it yet!
Maura Devlin-Clancy from City College of San Francisco shared about their "Make, Create, Innovate" ChangeMakers Mini-Conference that they held last June 2019 for teachers and future teachers to get them acclimated to the space and machines.
Maura also gave some excellent for-credit maker curriculum course outlines including:
- MAKR 100 Practices of Making
- MAKR 400 Maker Capstone
- MAKR 33 Making and Makerspaces for Teachers
5. While it might not be easy, you CAN successfully take your maker curriculum, camps and summits into a virtual environment.
Jason Spenser from BridgeValley Community & Technical College successfully pivoted this past spring to transition his STEAM Academy Summer Camp from in-person to online. He shared both his challenges and best practices, including pricing structure, materials/tools used, sample schedules and more. Don't cancel... take it online!