Education

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.

Google Doodle Celebrates Edison’s Birthday

Anybody else heard of this Google thing? Apparently it’s some kind of search engine, or something. Anyway, looks like they occasionally riff on their own logo to mark certain events, and today they’ve got a cool one for Thomas Edison’s birthday. Michael Cavna has written a little puff piece at The Washington Post, and I thought this line was worth repeating:

[N]ote to Google: What we really want to see on July 10 is a doodled birthday tribute to the mad and mighty Nikola Tesla, whose electrical developments arguably hold even greater common currency today.

I concur. Yay for Edison’s inventive spirit, worth ethic, and triumph over disability! Boo for his thunder-stealing, cruelty to animals, and Homer-Simpson-esque shameless self-promotion! And yay Tesla, for his genius, humility, and kindness to animals. And yay Google, whatever the heck it may be! [Thanks, Lish!]

Continue Reading February 11th, 2011 Sean Michael Ragan28

In the Maker Shed: New Edison-Style Cup Phonograph Kit

The New Edison-Style Cup Phonograph Kit from the Maker Shed uses the same principles Thomas Edison used to make his original recordings. The Gakken version replaces Edison’s waxed pipe and stylus with a plastic cup and a needle, but the end results are the same!

Continue Reading February 11th, 2011 Maker Shed

Skill Set: Teaching Kids to Saw

In response to our woodworking skills theme, a shop teacher, Mr. Patrick, aka the WorkshopCowboy, sent us a link to this article he did on his blog about teaching safe sawing to young people. The one-handed technique is great for students to gain a “feel” for cutting the wood correctly. A saw should glide through […]

Continue Reading February 10th, 2011August 31st, 2015 Gareth Branwyn

Thingiverse 3D Catan Pieces: Legal?

But my general policy on 3D models is that I don’t cover them until there’s at least one real physical prototype. In this case, however, I probably should have trusted my instincts, because it turns out, besides the cool factor, Sublime’s design is creating quite a buzz with the legal questions it raises.

Continue Reading February 10th, 2011 Sean Michael Ragan2

Math Monday: Light Dimmer Knobs

By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics I believe that in the future, 3D printing machines will commonly be used to make household parts, e.g., when you need to fix a broken appliance knob or handle. I put this into practice recently when I needed a replacement light dimmer knob and decided to make […]

Continue Reading February 7th, 2011December 8th, 2016 Gareth Branwyn2

Why Are Fewer Students in Science Fairs?

According to the New York Times article, “It May Be a Sputnik Moment, but Science Fairs Are Lagging“, fewer students may be participating in science fairs because there’s not enough time in school to do science. An education policy that aims to produce greater interest in science and technology is increasingly at odds with a […]

Continue Reading February 5th, 2011October 7th, 2019 Dale Dougherty46

In the Maker Shed: EX-150 Electronic Experiment kit

Great for learning electronics and circuit design! The Gakken EX System is a series of educational electronics kits produced in the late 1970s. The kits use “denshi blocks” (also known as electronic blocks) to allow electronics experiments to be performed easily and safely. More than 25 years after its original release, one of the main […]

Continue Reading February 2nd, 2011 Maker Shed

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