Making at SXSWedu

I was lucky enough to attend SXSWedu in Austin last week.  There was an array of topics on all aspects of education, but to support our Maker Lab program, I went to a lot of the DIY, Maker, & Hacker sessions. 

There were short sessions (Future15), where presenters had only 15 minutes to present.  Some of the sessions I went to included: 3D printing models to help demonstrate mathematical concepts and learning coding with drones.  We are considering purchasing a drone as part of next year's budget, and think that coding would help make it more than just a new gadget for the kids to see.

My favorite sessions were the workshops where we actually got to make something.  At the "Makerspace Mash-Up: New Literacy from AR to Z" (
Jacy Edelman,  Kreg Hanning, Sue Cusack, Lesley University) turned the room into a makerspace, where each table had some sort of equipment (both high tech and low tech), with a project idea on what you could do with the equipment.  I wanted to play with the LittleBits, and the project at that table was to make a DIY Satellite Dish that sensed light.  My table was quite focused  on this task and we were actually successful in making it work:

DIY Satellite Dish using LittleBits

In "Exploring Environments for Maker-Centered Learning" (Edward Clapp and Jessica Ross, Project Zero/Harvard Graduate School of Education), we had the opportunity to design our ideal makerspace and worked in groups to make chairs that could hold our own weight out of cardboard, box cutters, and ties. 

The finished "chairs"

We intend to incorporate this activity in our admission tours for next year (most likely substituting scissors for box cutters).

Several sessions focused on the purpose of and guide to creating maker labs in schools. In "What Are We Making...and Why Are We Making it?" (Basil Kolani, Dwight School) focused on having students make with a purpose (to solve a problem they see, etc).  I really enjoyed the collaborative spirit of "Makerspaces & STEAM Labs: Creation and Programming" (Colleen Graves, Leah Mann, Lewisville Independent School District), where everyone (not just the presenters) shared ideas about the whole process of starting a makerspace. "Schools' Vortex: Innovative Library Makerspaces'" (Britten Follett, Follett Learning; Darcy Coffta, Berwick Academy; Dottie Smay, Shorecrest Preparatory School, Patrice Bryan, Maplewood Richmond Heights High School) addressed makerspaces in libraries, which was of obvious interest to us, having a maker lab in our Library and Learning Commons. 

There were several STEAM-focused sessions, which were very informative for our work with the dance department.  In one of the Playground Hands-On sessions, we got to record haikus and make boxes that when opened would play them. In "Real World STEAM: SoCal Industry and Educators Unite" 

(David Delgado, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Kim Richards, KDR PR/STEAM-Connect; Saura Naderi, Qualcomm), we got to see how STEM companies/organizations incorporate arts both internally and externally, as a means to reach out to students.   I particularly enjoyed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's examples of artwork/designs used to explain their scientists and engineers concepts/projects in a visually engaging manner.  The session was also hands-on.  After using random supplies to make something that represented ourselves, we worked in groups to create something out of all our own creations incorporating LED lights:

My group's creation

I came back with a lot of ideas for ways to change/add to/improve our own space, and I look forward to trying them out.

Happy Making!