Presentation for the Enoch Pratt Teen Librarians given at the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Baltimore on January 19, 2016. Includes project ideas and examples, and discussion about balancing accessibility with applicability.

1. Digital Harbor Foundation
• Youth
• Families
• Community

2. Peek into a Makerspace
Collaboration
Creativity
Engaged youth
Open-Ended
Reflection
Youth driven, Teacher supported
Curiosity & Interest

3. Productivity CreativityMaking

4. What is a Makerspace?
• Not about the the technology or equipment
• Enables people to:
• Feel free to experiment
• Feel free to fail
• Have the opportunity to progress/iterate

5. Start Small
• Start where you are &
Use what you have
• Cardboard Challenge
• LED Name Tags
• Art Bots
• Paper Flashlights
• Straw Rockets

6. Starting Out
Makerspace in a Box

7. What to include?
• Playdoh
• Cardboard & Paper
• Tape, Rubber bands, Clips
• LEDs, Copper Tape, Batteries
• Motors and Gears
• Toys that move
• Pool Noodles

8. Getting Started
• Start Small:
• LED Name Tags
• Art Bots
• diy.org
• cardboardchallenge.com
• Increment:
• MaKey MaKey
(makeymakey.com)
• Scratch (scratch.mit.edu)

9. Project: LED Name Tag
• Design a name tag with an LED that represents something about
yourself.
• Use the following supplies: LED, Coin Cell Battery, Colored Foam,
Adhesive Foam, Markers, Scissors, Tape
• Constraints:
• Must use 1 LED
• Time: 10 minutes

10. Project Prompts
• Open ended, include constraints
• Integrate Design Process: Plan, Make, Share
(receive feedback and iterate throughout)
• Move away from step-by-step directions
• Allow for scaffolding: Options for scaling up

11. Example Prompt: Art Bots
• Using your supplies, create a robot that draws
• Constraints:
• Must use 1 electric toothbrush

13. Scaffolding
• Start with the prompt
• Give time for brain storming and prototyping
• Provide a sample or prototype to be reverse
engineered
• Finally, provide step-by-step directions

14. Leveling Up…
• Makey Makey ($50)
• Raspberry Pi (Raspberry STEM $145)
• Paper/Vinyl Cutter ($250)

15. Advanced
• Arduino and Internet of Things ($100)
• Printrbot Simple 3D Printer ($600)

16. What We’ve Learned

17. Creativity + Productivity
• Creativity
• individuality and personalization
• increases ownership
• Productivity
• Solves a problem
• Addresses a need

18. Art Bots v1

19. Art Bots v2

20. Project Ideas

21. Wind Tube
$40 in materials + craft supplies
Explore aerodynamics

22. Scratch Art
• Painted CD
• Wooden Skewer

23. Art Bots
< $2 each - Simple art robots
Pool Noodles, Electric Toothbrush, Battery, Markers
Rubber Bands

24. CD Rom Hovercraft

25. Straw Rockets

26. Paper Rockets

27. Paper Circuits

28. MaKey MaKey
$45 - Turns anything conductive into a keyboard
- Playdoh Game Controller - Veggie Piano -

29. Balancing Real World Tech With
Real World Access
#3DforED
Real Access
Real Tech

30. Real Tech
• Applicable
• Used by professionals in the field
• Jobs available or in demand

31. Real Access
• Widely Available
• Supports multiple platforms
• Windows and Mac at a minimum
• Inexpensive or Free
• Web based for the win!!

32. Applicable Accessible

33. Graphic Design: Photoshop

34. Photoshop
Accessible Applicable
3 8
Costly Lots of real world applications
Does work on a variety of
platforms
Real world jobs available

35. Gimp

36. Gimp
Accessible Applicable
9 4
Free
The tool itself does not have many
jobs
Supports a variety of platforms
The skills you learn with the tool
can be very in demand
http://www.gimp.org/

37. Programming: Scratch

38. Scratch
Accessible Applicable
10 1
Free
The tool itself does not have many
jobs
Web based
The fundamentals can help you
learn more applicable languages
scratch.mit.edu

39. JavaScript

40. JavaScript
Accessible Applicable
8 6
Free Lots of real world jobs
Web based

41. Access > Applicability
• Teach core concepts
• Move to more applicable as fast as possible
• Have a road map to applicable

42. Applicable > Access
• Share alternative tools that are more accessible
• Start with accessible and move to applicable quickly

43. Outcomes
• Teach how to learn, not a specific product.
• Favor accessible but have a plan to get to
applicable

44. Resources
• Book: Invent to Learn by Gary Stager & Sylvia
Martinez
• Book: Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction by Dr.
Griffith Saul, and others
• Book: Tinkering: Kids Learn by Making by Curt
Gabrielson

45. Resources
• Book: How to Build a Hovercraft: Air Cannons,
Magnetic Motors, and 25 Other Amazing DIY
Science Projects by Stephen Voltz & Fritz Grobe
• Make: Magazine & Website
• www.familymakenight.org

46. More Resources
HTTP://DHF.IO/ROOM2MAKE

47. DHF Blueprint
• http://blueprint.digitalharbor.org

48. Q&A

49. Contact
• Jonathan Prozzi
• jonathan@digitalharbor.org
• @jonathanprozzi
• www.digitalharbor.org
• @DHFBaltimore