Maker Education is such a valuable role. These stories will bring you the latest information and tales of maker educators who area spreading the maker mindset. Help others learn how to make things or how to think like a maker at makerspaces, schools, universities, and local communities. The importance of maker education can not be understated. We appreciate our educators.
“And that’s just the beginning, there are all types of materials that work with the laser cutter. In addition to cardboard and paper, you can etch glass, cut acrylic, and engrave leather. You can even laser etch onto a chocolate bar.” Said Zack, my TechShop Dream Coach who has been guiding me on my Zero to Maker journey. He was also today’s Laser Cutting SBU substitute teacher.
Stanford School of Engineering is offering three classes this fall with open enrollment and free admission. The first is Introduction to Artificial Intelligence. It is taught by Peter Norvig, author of Artificial Intelligence, A Modern Approach, and Sebastian Thrun, Research Professor of Computer Science at Stanford.
“So do you think it’s possible?,” I asked with a slightly concerned (but curiously hopeful) look on my face.
“Well, not really,” replied Zack, “But I do think we’re going to give it a good shot and we’re definitely going to learn a lot. Here’s how we can think about it…”
So began my conversation with Zack Johnson, my designated “Dream Coach” at TechShop.
Poulsen’s Wire Recoder Kit, from the Maker Shed, uses wire and magnetism to record sound. Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen discovered that it was possible to record electrical signals in magnetic material and invented the magnetic wire recorder (telegraphone) in 1898. This simple yet fascinating kit lets you explore this phenomenon not just on wire but anything magnetic! Save your voice on scissors, chairs, or even an escalator!
I was about five pages in when I discovered a major obstacle: I didn’t have any of the tools the book required to do the suggested projects and experiments. I realized that despite my commitment to learning and my eagerness to get started, my goal of going from Zero to Maker would be impossible if I didn’t have the right tools.
I have a bunch of those Reader’s Digest and Time-Life build, repair, maintain handyman books. Way before MAKE and before the internet became an on-demand learning source for just about anything (back when the alt.science.repair USENET FAQ was the best resource out there), these sorts of books were a godsend if you wanted to learn the basics on building a deck, tiling a bathroom, fixing your own appliances.
I learned simple things like which way to hold the soldering iron and how to clean the tip before soldering — trivial to an experienced maker, but nerve-wracking to the newbie. As important as such subtle learning was, the big lesson didn’t hit me until the following day while I was showing a friend my MintyBoost: the journey from Zero to Maker was going to be primarily-project based. As much as I wanted to learn, I wouldn’t really absorb anything unless I had a project (or series of projects) to center that learning around.
