Maker Ed Convening: Full Schedule

The Maker Educator Convening is an annual gathering of maker education practitioners from all over the world, organized by Maker Ed. This year, the event will take place in Pittsburgh, PA, in collaboration with MuseumLab at Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. We are committed to further exploring last year’s themes—equity, accessibility, and sustainability in maker education—over two full days of sharing, collaboration, and delicious food. We hope you will join us! To register and for more information, visit Maker Ed’s website.

7:30am EDT

Convening Registration

Check-in, get your name tag, make something!

Saturday October 12, 2019 7:30am - 10:00am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Full Conference Session

8:00am EDT

Breakfast

Saturday October 12, 2019 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Meals + Networking

9:00am EDT

Opening and Welcome

Saturday October 12, 2019 9:00am - 9:15am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Full Conference Session

9:45am EDT

Maker Learning in Pittsburgh: Success of Access, Challenge of Equity

Presenters

Sunanna Chand

Director, Remake Learning

Sunanna T. Chand is Director of Remake Learning. She identifies and nurtures multi-sector collaborative opportunities that provide remarkable learning experiences for youth in southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Remake Learning, active since 2007, is a network of 500 organizations... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 9:45am - 10:10am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Keynote

10:15am EDT

Equity, Justice, and the Future of Teaching and Learning

Presenters

Valerie Kinloch, Ph.D.

Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the School of Education, University of Pittsburgh

Valerie Kinloch is the Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the School of Education and Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her scholarship examines the literacies and community engagements of youth and adults inside and outside schools. Author of publications on race, place... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 10:15am - 10:40am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Keynote

11:00am EDT

#BetterTogether: How Do We Facilitate Group Work?

How can educators be more intentional about teaching collaboration? Join a panel discussion with four cross-sector formal and informal education experts who will share stories and best practices and participate in an open forum discussion sharing your experiences in facilitating collaboration.

Collaboration is seen as an important 21st century soft skill, though is often not directly addressed in many educational spaces. As a “soft skill” there can be a misconception that collaboration is only learned in-between knowledge-based subjects matters. In this session, the panel members will facilitate a proactive group conversation with the audience. The audience will also participate in a hands-on element as a collective showcase of pinpointing the average comfort level in teaching collaboration. By the end of the session, formal and informal educators alike will walk away with a toolkit of knowledge and ideas to take and exercise in their own space.

Questions to be discussed:

What do we mean when we say, “Collaboration is a real world skill”?
What is the relationship between collaboration and the tool (hardware and/or software)?
How can scarcity lead to better collaboration?
What strategies have we used to teach and foster collaboration?
What are examples of warm-ups or techniques?
How to do you work with creative constraints with materials while trying to meet learning objectives?

Presenters

Katie Henry

Director of Learning, BirdBrain Technologies

Katie Henry is the Director of Learning for BirdBrain Technologies, makers of the Finch Robot and Hummingbird Robotics Kit. Katie oversees professional learning for educators worldwide utilizing BirdBrain Technologies' tools. Recently Katie was invited by the U.S. State Department... Read More →

Samantha Utley

Equity, Inclusion, & Justice Coordinator, Falk Laboratory School

Samantha Utley is an educator working at Duquesne Elementary School with a passion for creating equitable and responsive environments for both students and staff. Over the years, Samantha has served as both an educator and Instructional Coach, which has allowed her to interact with... Read More →

Lindsay Balfour

Strawbees

Lindsay Balfour is a visual and learning designer, artist, and global maker educator with a speciality in science centers and makerspaces for over 6 years focusing on collaboration and creativity with young makers. She is the Director of Education and Content at Strawbees HQ based... Read More →

Christa Flores

Owner?Founder, Mountain Makers

Christa Flores is a researcher of Problem-based Science, an approach to science literacy with an emphasis on material science, design thinking, working in collaborative teams, and entrepreneurialism. Christa graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Biological... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 1

Panel Conversation

11:00am EDT

24 Hour Playwriting Challenge! Session 1

The field of maker education has the potential to disrupt the education system towards more equitable outcomes, but has a history some have argued are rooted in gendered, white, middle-class cultural practices. These issues are complicated and complex. If you choose to participate in the PLAYnary, you will have the opportunity to interrogate these themes to (literally) start a dialogue about maker education and equity. In teams of 2-3 people, you will write a short play (5 pages) during this session, and will be supported through the writing and revision process by a team of playwriting facilitators and professional actors.

Your play will then be performed by those same professional actors during the closing plenary of the conference.

You do not need to have all of the answers or provide the perfect solutions in your plays! Rather, we will be using the plays to pose key questions about equity in maker education, and will discuss those questions in small groups with the audience. In order for you to “make” a play in a day, this special workshop will span two session blocks, with a working lunch in between. Participants do not need to have any background in playwriting, and should bring a laptop to the workshop. Most of all, be prepared to dive in, play, and have FUN!

This session requires attendance to both workshops, with a working lunch in order to continue working on the plays!

Pre-register at this link

Presenters

Jessica Mele

Program Officer for the Performing Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Jessica Mele is a Program Officer in Performing Arts at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. She manages a diverse portfolio of grants, with a particular focus on arts education policy and advocacy. Previously, Jessica was executive director at Performing Arts Workshop, an arts... Read More →

Marc Chun

Marc Chun has done lots of writing. He wrote tuition checks for a BS and three MAs and a PhD; he wrote letters home to Mom to keep paying all those tuition checks; he wrote a column for the Stanford University student newspaper; he wrote a doctoral dissertation; he wrote curricula... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Assembly Hall

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Arts Integration in the Classroom and Museum: Inspiration from Author and Illustrator Hervé Tullet

This session will explore collaborative art-making through a Herve Tullet inspired workshop. Join us in making beautiful art, and learn strategies for successful connection to state standards in formal and informal learning environments.

This session will use the work of author/illustrator Hervé Tullet to consider how we might take artist inspiration to enhance formal and informal learning through traditional practices and STEAM infused making. Through this workshop, participants will engage in hands on learning activities to promote collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Participants will begin with a Tullet inspired collaborative painting, led by Rachael. Next, Carina will take participants through a Tullet inspired search for ideas. Intentional questions and group conversation will prompt the questions: what is an idea? How do we find them? This hands on exercise in looking and reimagining will reuse art created in the previous activity to create exciting new collages. Carina will connect this activity to her experience developing an interactive museum exhibit inspired by the works of Tullet.

We will conclude with a discussion of facilitation strategies, curricular connections, and overall feeling of the workshop, and include time for Q&A.

Presenters

Carina Kooiman

Artist, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Carina Kooiman is the Art Studio Manager for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. There, she manages the Art Studio, designing exhibits, developing programs, facilitating art-making, and working with guest artists. Most recently she designed “Move Along & Change Your Place... Read More →

Rachael Ragen

MAKESHOP Teaching Artist, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Rachael Ragen is a MAKESHOP Teaching Artist at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. She is a young professional with a Masters of Arts degree in Teaching and Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History. As a Teaching Artist, Rachael provides opportunities for visitors to experience the... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Gathering Space

Workshop

11:00am EDT

FAB Lab for All: A K-5 School-wide Approach to Makerspace

Multiple ages, languages, levels of experience and a lack of funding. The thought of implementing a school-wide makerspace can be daunting. This session will provide practical solutions to make your elementary makerspace sustainable and accessible to all while highlighting transferable 21st century learning skills.

In this session attendees will learn how to implement choice in an open-lab, STEAM-based format that is appropriate for students in kindergarten-5th grade, in English and Spanish. Sara will share how her spotlight station encourages students to try new skills and explore new concepts, allowing for multiple entry points for all students. Open choice centers allow students to use 21st century learning skills as they creatively problem-solve with their peers. I will also address how those 21st century learning skills can be made visible to students through consistent, self-reflective assessment practices, allowing them to transfer out of our makerspace and into their academic classrooms. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience an abbreviated version of the class structure I use with my students, including hands-on activities, visuals to support learning and time management, and reflection on their use of 21st century learning skills. They will leave with copies of both the structure of the class period and several versions of end-of-period reflection/assessment tools.

Presenters

Sara Milewski

Glendale Elementary School, MMSD

Sara Milewski has been a bilingual teacher at Glendale Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin for over 15 years. She has been committed to experiential and project-based learning for her diverse students throughout her career. She currently teaches over 400 kindergarten through 4th... Read More →

MakerEd presentation pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Library Makerspace Learning: Hands-on Assessment & Documentation Practices & Tools

With more and more libraries offering making and tinkering programs for patrons to learn and create, the need to evaluate learning in these programs has become crucial. This hands-on workshop will share evaluation tools co-developed by researchers and library staff through extensive stakeholder interviews to document and assess learning and engagement in library makerspaces - including a second rendition of a digital observational assessment app.

Presenters

Rebecca Millerjohn

Teaching and Learning Librarian, Madison Public Library

Rebecca Millerjohn is the youth services librarian with the Bubbler at Madison Public Library. Rebecca is a previous six year classroom working in Houston, Texas and at Gary Comer College Prep on Chicago’s South Side. A graduate of UW’s School of Library and Information Studies... Read More →

Sam Abramovich

Director, Open Education Research Lab at the University at Buffalo

Samuel Abramovich, Ph.D. is the director of the Open Education Research Lab at the University at Buffalo where he is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning and Instruction and the Department of Information Science. His research is devoted to finding and understanding... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Make Lit Interactive

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to work with their elementary-aged students to create exciting interactive books, maps, sculptures or other displays that can be used to address many of the Common Core standards for ELA while introducing young students to physical computing with very basic Scratch and/or Microsoft MakeCode. Attendees will leave with a handmade interactive book they can use with their own Makey Makey or Micro:bit, which can be used as a catalyst for creative amazing interactive literacy projects with their own students. This project has a “low floor/high ceiling” and can be adapted in a multitude of ways to fit just about any learning goal, including exploring literature and writing with social and environmental justice themes.

Presenters

Aimee DeFoe

Principal & Maker Ed Specialist, K-8 Kentucky Avenue School/Project Elementary

Aimee DeFoe is Principal and Maker Education Specialist at the K-8 Kentucky Avenue School in Pittsburgh, PA. She has been interested in the intersection of making and learning throughout her 20 year career in education. She has presented at the Three Rivers Educational Technology... Read More →

Make Lit Interactive MakerEd Convening pptx

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Making Accessibility

PLEASE NOTE: This session takes place at the Carnegie Science Center Fab Lab, which is a 15–20-minute walk away from Allegheny Square. If you'd like to attend this session, please pre-register at this link so that Jon knows you are coming!

Learn how Fab Lab Carnegie Science Center has developed a way to help students who are blind or have visual disabilities, who may struggle to use computer software, still have authentic making experiences. We have also modified this to work with early learners, who also struggle to use CAD software.

Presenters

Jon Doctorick

Technical and Education Manager, Fab Lab Carnegie Science Center

Jon Doctorick is the Fab Lab Carnegie Science Center Technical and Education Manager. In his prior role as Mobile Fab Lab Coordinator, Jon implemented educational Mobile Fab Lab programming throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. He designed and delivered digital fabrication... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Carnegie Science Center Fab Lab

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Making as an Act of Multicultural Representation in the Classroom

This workshop offers a practical tool to bring multicultural representation into the classroom through the documentation of students’ voices and perspectives. We follow a step by step process to engage in three maker capacities: looking closely, exploring complexity and finding opportunity from the Agency by Design framework for Maker-Centered Learning.

Presenters

Sergio Ruiz

Texas Tech University

Mr. Ruiz-Perez has taught Spanish for ten years in higher education. He is a professional translator and interpreter, and currently a Graduate Part-Time Instructor and second year PhD student of Spanish Linguistics in the Department of Classical & Modern Languages and Literatures... Read More →

Yerko Sepulveda

Spanish Instructor, Texas Tech University

Mr. Sepulveda is an experienced teacher-trainer, educational consultant and administrator. He is the former advisor of Teaching & Learning at the Technological University of Chile, La Serena. Mr. Sepulveda holds a M.A. in Applied Linguistics and a M.Ed. in Bilingual Education. Currently... Read More →

making as an act of multicultural representation tool pdf

makered workshop final version pdf

homophobia pdf

pato donald 1 png

pato donald 2 jpg

pato donald 9 png

guerito scanned pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 1

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Making is How We Learn: Building MakerCulture in Public Education

“Making" is how humans demonstrate their ability to use knowledge. A culture of making is essential to developing deep learning.

Pam Moran and Ira Socol’s workshop will help you develop a transformation plan starting where your school is now, leading to a full MakerCulture where Making is how children learn.

Presenters

Ira David Socol

Pam Moran and Ira Socol have worked together for over a decade. Ira, a former K-12 Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, and Pam, a retired superintendent and member of the Maker Ed Board, have authored numerous articles in national education and school architectural journals and... Read More →

Pamela Moran

Senior Philosophy and Policy Advisor, SocolMoran Partners

Dr. Pam Moran (Twitter: @pammoran), recently retired superintendent of thirteen years, was the 2010 president of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents and the 2016 Virginia Superintendent of the Year, one of four finalists for the national superintendent of the year... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Workshop

12:30pm EDT

Lunch

Saturday October 12, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Meals + Networking

1:30pm EDT

Getting Off Campus: Fostering Productive Community-University Collaborations Through Student Projects

IDeATe at Carnegie Mellon University is a center for interdisciplinary project-based learning. We discuss external partnerships faculty have pursued through coursework with schools, museums, libraries, and other organizations. Our moderator is a local community organizer who challenges the presenters and audience to examine the real long-term beneficiaries of these relationships.

Presenters

Michael Skirpan

Executive Director, Community Forge

Mike Skirpan is an ethicist, writer, artist, educator, and concerned citizen based out of Pittsburgh, PA. Currently he serves as the executive director at Community Forge and as a special faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his PhD from CU-Boulder's Department... Read More →

Robert Zacharias

Robert Zacharias currently teaches creative electronics courses for the IDeATe Network at Carnegie Mellon University and manages IDeATe’s Physical Computing Lab. He holds a Master's in Tangible Interaction Design from CMU. Previously, he was a hands-on educator in museums and out-of-school... Read More →

Garth Zeglin

Garth Zeglin is a roboticist, artist, and educator. He currently teaches physical computing in the interdisciplinary IDeATe program at Carnegie Mellon University. This role uses his interests in expressive dynamic machines to bring art and engineering students together to make projects... Read More →

Marti Lowe

Director, Learning Media Design Center, Carnegie Mellon University

Marti Louw directs the Learning Media Design Center in the Human Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She also serves as the Assistant Dean of Curriculum for the Integrative Design Arts & Technology (IDeATe) network and teaches in the graduate Master of Educational... Read More →

Johannes DeYoung

Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

Johannes DeYoung is a multidisciplinary artist who works at the intersection of computational and material processes. DeYoung’s work has been exhibited at the B3 Biennale of the Moving Image, Frankfurt, Germany; Crush Curatorial, Robert Miller Gallery, Jeff Bailey Gallery, Eyebeam... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Panel Conversation

1:30pm EDT

24 Hour Playwriting Challenge! Session 2

Presenters

Jessica Mele

Program Officer for the Performing Arts, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Marc Chun

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Assembly Hall

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Art Activism: Sewing as a Medium to Amplify Youth Voices

The purpose of this presentation is to acknowledge sewing as a timeless art form that has the potential to help students connect more deeply with the arts, specifically through art activism.

Presenters

Sara Trail

Founder, Social Justice Sewing Academy

Sara Trail learned to sew at the young age of 4, and is now a successful author, sewing teacher and pattern and fabric designer. At age 13, she wrote a nationally published book, “Sew with Sara” that teaches teens and tweens how to sew cute clothes and accessories for fun and... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 2

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Cultivating Creativity in the Maker-Centered Classroom

As teachers and school leaders, we know that our students need creativity to be successful. Yet every day, we encounter young people who believe that creativity is either something that they have, or they do not. How do we bring the creativity conversation down to earth and support our students in developing this essential disposition? How might we support more distributed and participatory forms of creativity in the maker-centered classroom? This workshop is designed to help K-12 teachers and administrators more effectively strengthen, cultivate, and document creativity in the maker-centered classroom. Using a participatory framework called SEED, participants will look closely at the social interactions, life experiences, environmental influences, and discoveries that influence the development of an idea. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect, ask questions, create accordion journals, and interact with other educators throughout the session.

Presenters

Jodie Ricci

Arts Chair, Hawken School

Jodie Ricci is the Performing Arts Chair at Hawken School. Her role includes supporting faculty development, designing and teaching courses in creativity and music technology, conducting ensembles, and directing theater productions. Since 2016, she has collaborated with researchers... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 3

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Make Code You Can Touch

Can coding enhance human imagination? During this session, you will learn about the concept of generative design and how and why humans are leveraging automation to make things like art, buildings, and products. You will also analyze, create, and remix interesting algorithm components using Tinkercad Codeblocks.

In this session, participants will explore how to demystify coding for young people through creating a visible artifact of their computational thinking. The session will begin with a discussion about the concept of generative design and how and why humans are leveraging automation to make things like art, buildings, and products. Participants will also analyze the work of artist Nettrice Gaskins, who uses her art to highlight the role of algorithms in the historical and cultural traditions throughout the African diaspora.

They will explore these concepts through a hands-on activity in Tinkercad Codeblocks that will require them to troubleshoot a problem in an existing design in order to create something new. Participants will be able to take away a vinyl sticker of their design!

Participants will leave with strategies for engaging students to:
-Discuss and debate concepts in human and computer interaction
-Communicate clearly and express themselves using code and CAD
-Use coding and computational thinking to create custom designs that they can share in real life or digitally---no 3D printer needed!

They will also leave with free resources that will equip them with accessible ways to introduce coding and making to young people.

Presenters

Steven Jones

STEAM Facilitator, Hauser Jr. High

Steven Jones is a STEAM Facilitator at Hauser Jr. High in Riverside Illinois, ISTE STEM Co-Chair, and IDEA Illinois Western Suburbs Vice President and Governing Board Representative. Using his own curriculum, he teaches a wide variety of STEAM classes to students in 6th through 8th... Read More →

Kellyanne Mahoney

Youth Program Specialist, Autodesk

Kellyanne Mahoney is a National Board Certified Teacher and experienced curriculum developer who spent 13 years working in the Boston Public Schools. She currently serves as a Youth Program Specialist for Autodesk, focusing on creating K-12 STEAM learning content, managing education... Read More →

Maker Ed Convening Make Code You Can Touch 2019 pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 1

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Making Culture

In June 2018 the EXCITE Center released Making Culture, an in-depth nationwide examination of K-12 education makerspaces. The research highlights how makerspaces foster positive learning outcomes, but also reflect gaps in inclusion common in STEM fields. Making Culture produced seven recommendations to address cultural and equity concerns in K-12 makerspaces. The Making Culture workshop will engage the seven recommendations to refine and produce a tangible foundation for makerspace educators and participants.

Presenters

Aaron Vanderwerff

Director of Learning, Maker Ed

As the Director of Learning at Maker Ed, Aaron is responsible for content development and delivery to educators and trainers. He manages the design and content behind Maker Ed’s work, including resources, workshops, and programs. Throughout his sixteen years as a public educator... Read More →

Dora Medrano

Learning Events Manager, Maker Ed

Dora Medrano Ramos is the Learning Events Manager at Maker Ed where she develops and facilitates professional learning experiences that support educators to integrate liberatory, maker-centered learning into their practice. She has been an educator in a variety of youth, family, and... Read More →

Kareem Edouard

Assistant Professor, Drexel University School of Education

Kareem Edouard, PhD is an Assistant Professor for Drexel University's School of Education. His research focuses on bridging the digital divide, providing equal and equitable access to internet and computer technology to minority students in underserved communities. Through this access... Read More →

Kim, Edouard, Alderfer, Smith Making Culture A National Study of Education Makerspaces pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Playful Assessment for Maker-Centered Learning

As maker education becomes more widespread, the need for richer assessment approaches has also grown. Using our assessment tools designed for making hands-on learning visible, participants will explore, customize, imagine, and prototype assessments for their own maker-centered learning activities. We will discuss the possibilities and challenges of this embedded approach.

Presenters

Stephanie Chang

Director of Impact, Maker Ed

Stephanie Chang is the Director of Impact at Maker Ed, having spent 5 years previously leading and designing Maker Ed’s program and project offerings for educators and institutions around the country. Her current work focuses on evaluating the impact and value of programmatic efforts... Read More →

Yumiko Murai

Postdoctoral Associate, MIT

Yumiko is a learning researcher at MIT Playful Journey Lab and Lifelong Kindergarten group at Media Lab. Her research focuses on designing and studying technological tools, programs, and environments that support learner motivation and confidence through online and in-person creative... Read More →

Peter Kirschmann

Senior Learning Designer, Playful Journey Lab

Peter Kirschmann works on curriculum design for the High Meadows Graduate School of Teaching and Learning and playful assessment for maker activities. He is interested in creating opportunities for learners to design, create, and invent. He has designed and facilitated learning experiences... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

Telling the African American Story in the Makerspace

The project described in this session is one of the winners of the 2019 Chevron STEM Education awards from the Fab Foundation! Learn how the Makerspace can enhance the experience of students in history, math, science, art, literature and more. Become a student in an African American History class and design and build an object that tells the story of freed slaves. Decide how you would evaluate your own work.

This session explores how making can take the place of a test or paper in a traditional content class. Topics include:
- How do students demonstrate understanding of a unit of study through creating a physical object rather than answering test questions?
- What are the benefits and challenges involved in active, hands-on learning vs. traditional classroom instruction?
- How do you assess a project when students have voice and choice in the form that project will take?

In addition to looking at student responses to this type of project, participants will run through the process on a small scale by researching a topic, working in small groups to design and build a prototype to respond to the topic, and evaluating their prototype.

Presenters

Allison Ewing

I have been teaching for 13 years and currently serve as the Department Chair for Upper School Social Studies and as the Co-Director of Equity, Inclusion and Justice at Bullis. I created the African American History course several years ago in order to provide students and our school... Read More →

Matt Zigler

Bullis School

Matt Zigler is the coordinator of the Bullis Innovation and Technology Lab (BITlab) at Bullis School in Potomac, MD. He has worked in K-12 education for 18 years as an art teacher, administrator and Makerspace coordinator. In addition to teaching making courses such as Making for... Read More →

Cathy Melanson

Teacher, Bullis School

I have been an educator for over 30 years in the Washington DC area and have a passion for project based learning. As a history teacher I love that I essentially can engage my students in the history of everything!

Maker Ed Convening Telling the African American Story pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Workshop

1:30pm EDT

The Learner or the System: Let’s Reimagine “What School is For”

Welcome to an opportunity for collaborative discourse and social action! Start with a series of improv routines and then make meaning of “disenfranchised.” Through Cafe Prototyping Discussions, brainstorm solutions and consider voices present and missing. Let’s promote educator agency empowering all learners. All means all!

Presenters

Julie Rains

Information Literacy Specialist & AbD Online Course Instructor

Passionate about fostering positive interactions and relationships, I am committed to collaborating with students and teachers from around the world. It is a true joy to experiment, investigate, and grapple with ideas to encourage reflection from a variety of viewpoints. In addition... Read More →

Erika Lusky

Special Educator, Instructional Coach, CCoT Online Course Instructor, Rochester Community Schools

Erika is passionate about creating quality relationships to foster agency and identity, specifically in disenfranchised learners. She is an advocate for human connections, understanding, thinking, and student voice. For over 20 years, Erika has worked in Special Education with students... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 1:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Gathering Space

Workshop

3:00pm EDT

Bringing Mission to Making

When it comes to Making, how do we measure the process behind what our students create? Learn what assessment can look like as it guides Making and helps us to understand students’ experiences. We are building the next generation of Makers; Let’s ensure they have all the tools necessary!

Presenters

Melissa Unger

Teacher, South Fayette

Melissa Unger teaches STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to kindergarten, first, and second grade students. Melissa has transformed her classroom into the Learning Lab—a place where all students, regardless of level, make, build, and experiment. She focuses... Read More →

Amanda Jeane Reichert

Amanda Jeane Reichert is a 4th Grade teacher, technology innovator, and curriculum writer from the Downingtown Area School District. She has presented on STEAM integration & Robotics at ISTE, FETC, PETE&C, and Local Edcamps, and provides professional development for her district... Read More →

Colleen Hinrichsen

Elementary STEAM Teacher, Mars Area School District

Colleen currently teaches STEAM to second, third, and fourth grade classes as part of the weekly "specials" rotation at Mars Area Elementary. Prior to the pandemic, she also taught fifth and sixth grade STEAM (her favorite) and acted as a district instructional technology coach... Read More →

Anna Blake

Anna V. Blake is an Elementary Technology Integrator teaching Computational Thinking and Computer Science at Elizabeth Forward School District in Elizabeth, PA. Elizabeth Forward School District is part of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, and Apple Inc. has recognized... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 1

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Designing Maker Education Experiences In Under-Resourced Communities: Insights from Africa

This session will explore activities that enhance maker skills among youth in under-resourced communities. These activities adopt creative learning approaches that strive to empower learners and enable access to broader job opportunities for workforce development. The session will showcase insights from Kenya and other regions in Africa.

Presenters

Marian Muthui

Graduate Reseacher, MIT Media Lab

Marian Muthui is from Nairobi, Kenya and is currently a graduate researcher at the MIT Media Lab’s Lifelong Kindergarten research group. Her research is focused on promoting creative learning in Africa, specifically in exploring maker communities across the continent.In 2016, she... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 2

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Fashion and Tech: A Case Study of Maker Education in Community Makerspaces

This is a maker education success story and a look at what works. It’s the story of an 8 week, out-of-school program in which ten high school girls made their own clothes, incorporated electronics, and modeled their work on the runway in front of hundreds of people. I aim to share the lessons I learned in a way that you can use when designing and executing your programs.

Presenters

Adam Spontarelli

Director of Education, Vector Space

Adam is co-founder and Director of Education at Vector Space, a community makerspace in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is an engineer by education, and since leaving his desk job, has become a practicing engineer as well. He loves making things and educating others to make things for themselves... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 3

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Kinetic Fabrics: Performative Textiles and Mechanisms

In our new project-based course students create kinetic textile sculptures to perform on stage with live music. These works blend fiber arts with robotic automation in a hands-on making-centered curriculum. The talk will address artistic and technical collaboration, curriculum and platform development, and present clips of our first performances.

Presenters

Garth Zeglin

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Making a Difference: Engaging Young People in Engineering and Computer Science through Computational Making and Social Entrepreneurship

We will present our maker education and social entrepreneurship after-school program at the New York Hall of Science. The goal of this year-long program is to motivate youth engagement with computer science and engineering career paths through the use of computational tools to develop sustainable, high-impact solutions that benefit the community.

Presenters

Steve Uzzo

Chief Scientist, New York Hall of Science

As Chief Scientist for the New York Hall of Science, Stephen Uzzo develops and leads large-scale initiatives to research and integrate cutting edge science into teaching and learning. He currently leads initiatives to build communities of practice in complexity, data-driven science... Read More →

Danny Kirk

Manager of Maker Space Programs, New York Hall of Science

Danny Kirk is Manager of Maker Space Programs at the New York Hall of Science where he supports an amazing team of facilitators as they design and implement creative maker-centered programming. He is a long time youth educator and program facilitator with a passion for making and... Read More →

David Wells

Director of Maker Programming, New York Hall of Science

David Wells, Director of Maker Programming, is responsible for all programming and activities in NYSCI’s Maker Space. He oversees the design and implementation of maker-related programs which engage families, students, and visitors of all ages. He also works with formal and informal... Read More →

Elham Beheshti

Research Associate, New York Hall of Science

Before joining NYSCI, Elham was a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University’s Department of Communication Studies. She studies how technology can enhance learning experiences that happen across multiple contexts, such as classrooms, homes and museums. In particular, she is... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Making in the Academic Classroom

After everyone in your school 3D prints their names on keychains, what’s next? See how real K-12 teachers from a variety of core subjects bring content-driven Maker projects and practices into their classrooms: what effective (and ineffective) projects look like, hurdles to look out for, and benefits to look forward to.

Presenters

Diane Brancazio

K12 Maker Team Leader, MIT Edgerton Center

Diane is passionate about the potential of makerspaces to improve education. She works intensively to support teachers integrating maker into their regular curriculum and in using makerspaces to engage and empower students. Her formal technical training includes a BS in Electrical... Read More →

Leilani Roser

Maker Educator, MIT Edgerton Center

Leilani Roser began her life in STEM as a field research assistant while earning her BS in Biological Sciences at UC Davis. Pipetting drugs onto cells proved less thrilling than trapping and tracking wild mammals, so she became a teacher. Leilani received her MEd in Science Education... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Models for Deploying a Mobile Makerspace

Join us to learn how Southern Methodist University’s Maker Education Project uses our mobile makerspace—the MakerTruck—to develop a range of meaningful maker-based experiences for educators and students in K-12 schools.

Presenters

Katie Krummeck

Director, SMU

Katie Krummeck is an educational designer and a national thought leader in leveraging the power of design and making to drive change in the K-12 system. She is also an expert in using the design process and maker-based instruction to create student-centered learning experiences that... Read More →

Rob Rouse

STEM Education Program Chair, Southern Methodist University

Rob Rouse is a Clinical Associate Professor of Education at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Prior to pursuing his Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Diversity at Vanderbilt University, Rob taught high school chemistry for four years at a performing arts high school in New York... Read More →

DiMitri Higginbotham

DiMitri Higginbotham is an maker educator and human-centered design specialist with a background in music education. DiMitri fell in love with makerspaces while working on his masters in Design and Innovation from Southern Methodist University. His passion for making led him to become... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 1

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Trash in a Makerspace: Finding Beauty and Taking Action

What do these scraps reveal? Artists, builders, and makers have all been known to save and repurpose the castaways from their process. This presentation looks at makerspace trash and provides tangible ideas for teachers looking for ways to maximizes the creative potential and sustainability of the materials they use.

Presenters

Erin Riley

Director, E+D Lab, Greenwich Academy

Erin Riley is the Director of the Engineering and Design Lab at Greenwich Academy. A teacher of youth and a teacher of teachers, Erin co-designs projects with faculty at the intersection of art, design and engineering. Additionally, she facilitates a studio course in creative technologies... Read More →

Trash in a Makerspace pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Presentation

3:00pm EDT

Uncovering Hidden Pathways

Explore the idea of uncovering hidden pathways, a term I use to describe the anti-racist approach to encouraging non-dominant youth to leverage the creativity and knowledge they already possess to feel more confident in participating in STEM activities while helping them make connections to professional opportunities.

Presenters

Jaleesa Trapp

PhD Student, MIT Media Lab

Jaleesa is a graduate student in the lifelong kindergarten research group at the MIT Media Lab where she researches learning technologies and experiences. Her research focus is on examining the race, class, and social barriers to constructionism in education through an intersectional... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Presentation

4:00pm EDT

Mindset For Makers: Access For All Students

Do you see the promise of making in education and wonder how it can work practically in a K-12 setting? Maker Mentors from Wake County Public School System in North Carolina will share how they are scaling maker education in a large suburban public school district in ways that are deeply rooted in curriculum standards.

Our panel discussion is aimed at audiences who are interested in developing a maker mindset in their school or district but find themselves without a clear blueprint for how to begin and/or gain momentum. This panel discussion will detail startup ideas and strategies for satisfying concerns related to staff buy-in, budget, materials, curriculum alignment and space. We come with tried-and-true practices such as utilizing a try-before-you-buy lending library, a professional reading library, maker mentors for continuous school support, online access to startup tools and lessons via our maker website, and the use of grants for funding. We will share our district maker website which includes inspiration and practical tools for building a maker culture for participants to refer to after the conference. During the session, participants will be given time and tools to think through their own situations and next steps.

Presentation Link

Presenters

Kurt Hurelbrink

Digital Learning Coordinator, Wake County Public School System

Kurt Hurelbrink is a Digital Learning Coordinator for the Wake County Public School System. He previously was an elementary teacher and an instructional technology facilitator. He has over 20 years of experience in education. He received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education... Read More →

Tanya Churchill

Digital Learning Coordinator, Wake County Public School System: Digital Learning and Libraries

Tanya has been an educator with Wake County Public Schools since 2000 as a 4th grade teacher, science specialist, Instructional Technology Facilitator and now a Digital Learning Coordinator. She is a Google for Education Certified Trainer, as well as a Flipgrid Certified Educator... Read More →

Annetta Hymel

Digital Learning Coordinator, Annette Hymel

Annette is a Digital Learning Coordinator for Wake County Public Schools. She was an elementary teacher and instructional technology facilitator for 22 years. She enjoys working with teachers to create engaging lessons that foster student creativity. A true maker at heart, she loves... Read More →

Tim McAllister

Instructional Support Technician, Wake County Public School System

Tim is an Instructional Support Technician in Wake County, North Carolina. With his knowledge and skills with makerspaces and high tech maker tools, Tim is an active maker mentor for the Wake County schools.

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Panel Conversation

4:00pm EDT

Cultivating a Repair Mindset

Our lives are filled with stuff—Amazon boxes, fast fashion, that toaster that’s always on the fritz. How can we turn away from rampant consumerism and instead value and repair the things in our lives? And, perhaps most importantly: How can we cultivate this mindset in a K-12 setting?

Presenters

Brooke Toczylowski

Co-Director, Agency by Design Oakland

Reina Cabezas

Reina Cabezas is a Bay Area adopted native since she fled Nicaragua with her family 40 years ago. She is proud to honor the Ohlone ancestors of this land who practiced traditional STEM everyday in order to live in harmony with the natural world. After 10 years as a domestic violence... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

Distributed Leadership as a Path to Making

Building a culture of creativity is a daunting task! Find out how Agnes Irwin has taken a unique, collaborative, and joyful approach to distributed leadership in innovation. Attendees leave with resources for designing their own team for innovation, fostering maker mindsets, and building a culture of making at their schools.

Presenters

Julie Diana

My background is in libraries and information literacy, usability testing, and providing faculty professional development. I love working on a team and I believe that collaboration is key to the creative problem solving that is most needed in the world. I enjoy reading, cooking, baking... Read More →

Kim Walker

Innovation Director, The Agnes Irwin School

Kim Walker is an Innovation Director at The Agnes Irwin School (Rosemont, PA) where she manages the Lower School makerspace, the iWonder Lab. She is a member of the school's Innovation Team and co-leads professional development activities across a range of topics, including maker... Read More →

Margaret Powers

Director of STEAM Innovation, The Agnes Irwin School

Margaret is the Director of STEAM Innovation at The Agnes Irwin School, outside of Philadelphia. She works with teachers as a catalyst, coach, and collaborator to bring innovative ideas to life in the classroom. She also works as an Ed Tech and Innovation Consultant, specializing... Read More →

Resources Create a Team to Support Maker Culture pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 1

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

Fandom Sandboxes: Community, Collaboration, and Code

To be a student in a managed school environment creates obstacles for creative and deep learning. Students like me benefit from “sandbox” style learning with friends, loose structure, and community goals. In my workshop, we will observe and simulate examples of coding development through collaborations in our online fandom community.

Presenters

Charlotte Own

Student

Charlotte is a middle school student in Seattle, WA, who enjoys technology and is passionate about kids’ leadership especially within learning. She believes that adults don’t give students enough opportunity in their education and are too hesitant to let them make their own decisions... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 1

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

Probing Documentation Practices of Noticing, Reflection, Articulation, and Critique with Notional Prototypes

This workshop designed to explore with educators, administrators, and researchers processes for discovering and co-designing opportunities for documentation in learning spaces and across project phases. By the end of the workshop, participants will be familiar with our probe kit for generating insights and strategies to improve documentation in real learning spaces.

Presenters

Marti Lowe

Director, Learning Media Design Center, Carnegie Mellon University

Daragh Byrne

Daragh is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the School of Architecture and the Integrated Innovation Institute at Carnegie Mellon University

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

reDiscover Creative Reuse and Cardboard Play

Learn about creative reuse materials, useful tools, and how to prompt creative results in cardboard with Barb Noren, Director of Programs at reDiscover Center, a children’s makerspace and creative reuse center in Los Angeles, whose mission is to develop children’s creativity through hands-on making with sustainable materials.

Presenters

Barb Noren

Director of Programs, reDiscover Center

Barb Noren has served as Director of Programs at reDiscover Center, a kids’ makerspace and creative reuse center in Los Angeles, since 2014. A master Maker and experienced educator, Barb has been involved with STEAM education since 1999. In addition to her YouTube channel, Barb... Read More →

BarbNorenCardboardPlay pdf

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

This Color is Bugging Me!

This Color is Bugging Me! Explore a powerful little bug with a big reputation for coloring our world red. The cochineal beetle has been used for centuries as a pigment for paint and dye. Contemporary uses include coloring in yogurt, candy, and lipstick. In this workshop, you will grind, mix, and paint. We will discuss how to make this activity fit your curriculum or space.

Participants will work in small groups exploring the possibilities of the cochineal beetle as a pigment source to make paint. The tiny beetle's origins are in Peru and Mexico. Cochineal has been used world wide, in paintings and to dye textiles. Participants will be provided with a variety of liquids (water, lemon juice etc.) and powders (baking soda, citric acid) in this accessible “kitchen chemistry” activity. This activity can be scaled up or down, depending on time, age of participants and scenario. This is an open-ended STEAM activity with a cultural making component!

Presenters

Elena Baca

National Hispanic Cultural Center

Elena Baca is an educator and artist with over 25 years of experience working in museums, higher education, informal science, and art education. Elena is responsible for creating programs at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, to enhance museum experiences. She creates monthly... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 2

Workshop

4:00pm EDT

¡Kokomania!

Kokomanía is a creative thinking tool based on STEAM education and the Maker framework, which aims to boost collaboration, develop self knowledge and critical thinking through real problem solving.

Presenters

Barbara Yarza

STEAM Education Manager, El Garage Project Hub

Industrial designer graduated from Industrial Design at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, México. Currently she is the Creative Director at El Garage Project Hub. Most of the time she designs, but also does a lot of other things that involve joy, exploration and play. As... Read More →

Xcarett Sanchez

El Garage Project Hub

Industrial Designer, graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, currently working on Concept Development, Curricular Design and Learning Experiences at El Garage Project Hub, and studying the masters in Education at CEU16.Education enthusiastic finds her inspiration in... Read More →

Joana Sevilla

El Garage Project Hub

Industrial Designer graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC). Now working at El Garage Project Hub in the area of Educational Design, focused in the conceptualization of design to create multidisciplinary experiences. Passionate about the implementation of creative... Read More →

Saturday October 12, 2019 4:00pm - 5:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 3

Workshop

5:30pm EDT

Maker Educator Happy Hour + Networking

Join us for delicious bites, drinks, music, and an adults only night in MuseumLaB! Light snacks and the bar will be open on the 2nd floor of the Museum Lab in the Gathering Space. Make sure to explore the whole MuseumLab - it's open for us to play, explore, and experience this beautiful new learning space!

Saturday October 12, 2019 5:30pm - 7:30pm EDT
MuseumLab: Gathering Space

Meals + Networking

8:00am EDT

Breakfast

Sunday October 13, 2019 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Meals + Networking

9:15am EDT

How to Make Beautiful Música with Homemade Instruments: A Chilean Arts Non-profit Meets Maker Education

How do you convince formally trained musicians that it’s a good idea to build musical instruments that might not stay in tune? Hear how an arts education non-profit in Chile took the plunge into Maker education and got kids hooked on engineering.

Presenters

Leilani Roser

Maker Educator, MIT Edgerton Center

Diane Brancazio

K12 Maker Team Leader, MIT Edgerton Center

Sunday October 13, 2019 9:15am - 9:30am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Ignite Talks

9:15am EDT

Supporting Parents as Learners in Museum-Based Making and Tinkering Programs

Research has shown many benefits of making for children’s STEM learning, but how do parents participate in and learn from maker programs? This research study highlights the physical and social qualities of maker programs that support caregivers as facilitators of children’s learning, and as learners in their own right.

Presenters

Susan Letourneau

Research Associate, New York Hall of Science

Susan is a Research Associate at the New York Hall of Science, where she studies making and design as pathways for STEM learning. In her recent work, she has collaborated with museum practitioners to examine the intersections between play and learning in museums and other informal... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 9:15am - 9:30am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Ignite Talks

9:15am EDT

The Tipper Clip: The Tale of Two Young Inventors

Learn about the story of two young inventors who set out to prevent children from getting injured by falling back in their chairs. The Tipper Clip is the result of two years of prototyping, iterating, and testing our device.

Presenters

Josephine Bank

Student

Josephine Bank is a sixth grader at Marymount school in New York City. She enjoys lacrosse, surfing, skiing, equestrian, hanging with her family including her pet guinea pig Geno, and especially inventing with her friends!

Kate Sullivan

Student, Marymount School

Kate Sullivan is a rising 7th grader at the Marymount School of New York. Throughout her time at Marymount, Kate has enjoyed working in the school’s Fabrication Lab where she designs inventions using the 3D printer and Milling machine. In addition, Kate has experience with Scratch... Read More →

Jaymes Dec

Marymount School, Marymount School

Jaymes Dec is the Innovation Chair & Technology Teacher at the Marymount School and the cofounder of The NYC Makery, a community makerspace for children in New York City. He is on the Board of Directors of the Nerdy Derby, an education non-profit that organizes creative design challenges... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 9:15am - 9:30am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Ignite Talks

9:40am EDT

Examining diversity through making or, how I came to love rural Wisconsin

Presenters

Erica Halverson

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Erica Halverson is a trained theater artist and professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In that role, she teaches a range of courses to undergraduates and graduate students, including future teachers. She is an expert in... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 9:40am - 10:10am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Keynote

10:10am EDT

Reclaiming Joy!

Presenters

Michelle King

Learning Instigator. Love Activist. Beloved Community-Architect. Transformer. Local Troublemaker., The Learning Instigator

Michelle King is a learning instigator, love activist and beloved community-architect. A true production of US foreign policy, she was born in 1968 to an African American father and an Ethiopian immigrant mother. Her father was a serviceman in the US Army, and she spent half her childhood... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 10:10am - 10:40am EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Keynote

11:00am EDT

Constructing Knowledge: Learners Defining Learning

The goal of this panel will be to share the work that Beaver has been doing (both successes and failures) in creating a Research + Design space and mindset. Such spaces and mindsets are intended to cross disciplines, age groups, and types of learners. Members of the R+D team and students will share examples of their works, discuss how to build and maintain programs like these, and answer questions about how this type of learning enables them to break the boundaries of traditional education models.

The Research and Design program at Beaver permeates the walls of different disciplines so that students might find themselves making or creating in English, history, biology, art, or any other class. They could be constructing a physical representation of race in Othello, or a to-scale model of the Eiffel tower in freshman physics. The R+D team supports both students and teachers as they do this work, meeting people where they are and assessing needs to move the program forward.

Presenters

Jayne Everson

Director of Robotics and Engineering, R+D Experience Lead, Math Teacher, Beaver Country Day School

Growing up in the Midwest, I found myself in the science wing more often than not. That naturally led to an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. After a few years in design and manufacturing roles, I took a break to travel and teach internationally. When I returned... Read More →

Construction Knowledge Learners Defining Learning pdf

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 3

Panel Conversation

11:00am EDT

Fabricating Change: Improving Mental Wellness through Digital Fabrication

Through this enlightening panel discussion, Intermediate Unit One and Chevron share how their partnership has improved behaviors and academics for students with mental health needs through project based learning utilizing digital fabrication.

Presenters

Lee Ann Wainwright

Policy, Government & Public Affairs Specialist, Chevron Appalachia

Lee Ann Wainwright is a Corporate Affairs Advisor for Chevron Appalachia. In addition to managing the company’s community affairs in West Virginia, Lee Ann leads the company's STEM education & Workforce Development investments across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. She was... Read More →

Jim Denova

Vice President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

Jim Denova is Vice President of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and has primary responsibility for the Foundation’s Education agenda in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. In addition, he directs several economic development projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania.Jim... Read More →

Joe Mahoney

Director of Mental Health, IU1

2008 Graduate of Duquesne University, Magna Cum Laude, with a BA in Psychology and English and received master of social work (MSW) with mental health certificate from University of Pittsburgh in 2010. Worked in the mental health field for 12 years, serving as an outpatient therapist... Read More →

Don Martin

Assistant Executive Director, Intermediate Unit 1

Donald Martin is the Executive Director of Intermediate Unit 1. Prior to this, he held the position of Assistant Executive Director for the past eight years. He began his career in education as an elementary teacher where he spent 12 years in the classroom. He has been an administrator... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Executive Room

Panel Conversation

11:00am EDT

Making to Innovate for Social Good

Students nationwide are part of a movement of young changemakers making for change. Come see alumni from Project Invent and Mouse Design League present on how they are using making to make impact. Participants will leave this session inspired and with a roadmap for leading their own student-driven maker projects for social impact.

Presenters

James Hausman III

Literature Teacher, South Fayette School District

James Hausman is an English teacher at South Fayette HS in McDonald, PA. He attended a summer 2016 Infosys and MakerEd Makerspace Possibilities Workshop at Autodesk's Pier 9 facility in San Francisco and emerged as an avid maker and advocate for design thinking in the classroom ever... Read More →

Maggie Muldoon

Design League Senior Program Manager, Mouse

Maggie is a New York based visual artist and educator who has been working in maker education, learning design and creative technology for over 12 years.She joined the Mouse team in 2011 and currently serves as the Senior Manager of Design League where she works groups with high school... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Panel Conversation

11:00am EDT

A Values-Based Approach to Assessing Maker Centered Learning

What would it mean for assessment to be anchored in the values of the learners and educators who are engaged in the assessment process? In this session, you’ll have the opportunity to clarify the values most important to you in teaching and learning, as well as the chance for hands-on experience in applying this values-based approach to assessment.

Presenters

Jeff Evancho

Director of Partnerships and Equity, Northgate School District

Jeff Evancho is the Director of Partnerships and Equity for the Northgate School District as well as an active leader within the Remake Learning Network. Jeff has been championing remaking learning for all children for over 2-decades in education. He started by teaching visual arts... Read More →

Peter Wardrip

Assistant Professor of STEAM Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Peter Wardrip is an Assistant Professor of STEAM Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on informal/formal learning collaborations, assessment for learning and making as a learning process. Peter earned his PhD in Learning Sciences and Policy from University... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Making Observations: Identifying, Documenting, and Measuring Learning Values of Making

What learning do we value in making experiences? How do we assess making as a learning process? How can we use evidence to improve our making programs to better support the learning we value as organizations and as a field? We will share a process to identify, document and use evidence of program-specific learning values through learners’ engagement in making.

Presenters

Evelyn Christian Ronning

Science Museum of Minnesota

I'm an educational anthropologist by training, a former middle school teacher and environmental educator, who now works as a Senior Associate in the Department of Evaluation and Research in Learning at the Science Museum of Minnesota. I am also an instructor at the Minneapolis College... Read More →

Greg DeFrancis

Director of Engagement, MIT Museum

Greg is the Director of Engagement and Cambridge Science Festival at the MIT Museum. Previously, Greg was the Director of Education at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont. Greg’s work focuses on the roles of inquiry, making and tinkering, and personal narratives... Read More →

Peter Wardrip

Assistant Professor of STEAM Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 1

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Making with Head, Hands, and Heart

Explore maker education teaching and learning strategies through a series of interconnected projects utilizing simple electronics and crafting materials. Workshop is designed to be replicated by participants with icon based visuals and a low per participant cost enabling use in multiple contexts.

Presenters

Josh Ajima

Makerspace Facilitator, Academies of Loudoun

Josh Ajima is the Makerspace Facilitator at the Academies of Loudoun, a public STEM magnet high school in Loudoun County, Virginia. He is a FabLearn Fellow and a contributing author to Meaningful Making 2: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs and Makerspaces. He received the VSTE... Read More →

MakingHeadHandsHeart MakerEdConvening19 pdf

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Gathering Space

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Movers, Shakers, and Makers

This workshop will explore how low-and-high-tech motion capture technologies can be used in innovative ways to engage learners with data. Participants will generate and analyze their own data using motion capture technology and leave with a concrete set of ideas and activities they can immediately implement in an interdisciplinary curriculum.

Presenters

Shiri Mund

Doctoral Candidate, New York University

Shiri Mund is a second year doctoral student in New York University's Educational Communications and Technology program. As a learning scientist, she is fascinated by cognitive and sociotechnical factors that contribute to self-directed learning and motivation. She also explores how... Read More →

Ofer Chen

PhD Student, NYU

Ofer Chen is a PhD Student in the Educational Communication and Technology (ECT) at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. His research interests include curriculum and assessment design for active learning environments such as project-based learning classrooms... Read More →

Yoav Bergner

Assistant Professor, New York University

Yoav Bergner is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences and Educational Technology at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. His research interests include co-designing curriculum modules and assessment frameworks for learning in educational makerspaces... Read More →

William Payne

Playgrounds

Willie Payne is a PhD candidate in Music Technology at NYU Steinhardt where he develops tools and pedagogies to enable people to express themselves regardless of skill level or ability. He is especially interested in using participatory design methods to craft creative experiences... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 2

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Shifting Power: Designing for Agency in the K-12 Classroom

Learn how K-12 educators in Oakland, CA, are incorporating instructional strategies outlined in Agency by Design research to transform their classrooms into learner-led spaces. Participants will consider power in their own context, prototype for their own student-led space, and leave with an actionable way to shift agency to their learners.

Presenters

Brooke Toczylowski

Co-Director, Agency by Design Oakland

Paula Mitchell

Teacher on Special Assignment, Oakland Unified School District

TSA at Grass Valley Elementary School focused on integration of hands-on, student-centered learning into all aspects of curriculum.

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Workshop

11:00am EDT

The Art of Mentorship: How We Learned to Inspire Others Through Making

In this workshop, we will share our insights from our Exploring Making and Mentorship through Emerging Technologies (EMMET) project, a three-year journey to develop maker experiences and train maker-mentors to share those experiences with people of all ages across rural Wisconsin. We will share the kinds of making activities we developed, demonstrate the skills we’ve learned as maker-mentors, and explore the research practices we developed to understand how making and mentorship were working at our various events. There will be time to make things, work with high school and adult mentors, and to talk about what worked and what we struggled with during our time making in rural Wisconsin.

Presenters

Andy Stoiber

Masters Student, UW-Madison

Andy Stoiber is a Masters student in UW-Madison's department of Curriculum and Instruction, focused on Design, Informal, and Creative Education. He's eager to dive deeper into how folks learn through art, making, and media.

Tim Fetting

STEM Center Coordinator, Northcentral Technical College

Tim has spent 18 years in education previously at the high school level as a technology education teacher and administrator and presently serving as the STEM Center Coordinator for Northcentral Technical College. He has an extensive background in project based learning and informal... Read More →

Mandy Wright

Reading Teacher, Marathon Venture Academy

Mandy Wright currently teaches Reading at a small rural middle school in Marathon City, Wisconsin. After earning her BA in English and Norwegian from St. Olaf College, she earned her MA in Education from Viterbo and has been teaching high school and middle school for more than 12... Read More →

Erica Halverson

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Assembly Hall

Workshop

11:00am EDT

Tinkering with Light and Shadow: Designing and Facilitating Maker-Centered Learning Experiences

In this hands-on, minds-on workshop, participants will experience first-hand one approach to weaving making into their practice. After exploring and making discoveries about the dynamics of light and shadow, they will reflect on and uncover key variables of activity/lesson design and facilitation that allow for learners to “figure it out” and drive their own learning - all of which they can adopt, adapt, and tailor to their own learning environment. This session is adapted from Maker Ed’s Approaches to Maker Education workshop and applies to a wide variety of educators working within formal and informal settings with diverse learners.

Presenters

Justin Boner

Learning Content Strategist, Maker Ed

Justin is a Lead Maker Trainer at Maker Ed. A core member of Maker Ed's Learning Team, he designs in-person and online professional learning experiences for educators in support of integrating maker-centered learning into their practice and environments. Over the last three years... Read More →

Dora Medrano

Learning Events Manager, Maker Ed

LIGHT PLAY PROJECT GUIDE pdf

Sunday October 13, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Workshop

12:30pm EDT

Lunch

Sunday October 13, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
NOVA Place: Main Concourse

Meals + Networking

1:30pm EDT

Choreography Of Matter

What is material-based learning and what role does it play in creative and critical processes? How can we engage children in designing dynamic and sensory interactions with materials? Let’s investigate ways of engaging children in exploring new material techniques and experiences as a choreographer, composing a performance of material transformation.

Presenters

Alisha Collins

SEEDS Studio Lab Founder/ Program Manager/ Research Practitioner, Acera School, Winchester, MA

Alisha is a designer, author, and educator interested in integrating storytelling, craft, wellness, play, and new technologies to create participatory learning practices. Her practice centers on nurturing children’s creative confidence with new technologies and encouraging their... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Conference Room 2

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Clowning Around: Forming Identity through Making

Both play and making are valuable ways of learning, but it isn’t always clear how to connect them. One workshop series joined play and making while guiding preschool students in the discussion and expression of identity. The catalyst for all of this exploration? Learning how to be a clown.

Presenters

Will Tolliver

Manager of Early Childhood Learning, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Will Tolliver is the Manager of Early Childhood Learning at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. He began his role in February of 2018. Will's primary responsibilities include integrating Early Childhood Research and practice within Museum departments to build a national model... Read More →

Carolyn Myron

Early Childhood Learning Coordinator, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Carolyn Myron, MA, is the Early Childhood Learning Coordinator at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. She is also a graduate student in the University of Pittsburgh Applied Developmental Psychology Master of Science program with a concentration in Child & Youth Development. Ms. Myron... Read More →

Molly Dickerson

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Molly Dickerson earned a BA in Film Studies and Studio Art from The College of Wooster and an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh. She first took on a maker educator role Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s The Labs in 2011. She then joined Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s... Read More →

Talia Stol

Senior Research Scientist, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

Talia is a Senior Research Scientist at Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, where she facilitates responsive, use-oriented research and evaluation efforts. Talia has experience working in a variety of educational contexts including early childhood education, K-12 schooling, preservice... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Classroom

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Collaborative Redesign of a Museum-Based Maker Program for Use in School-based Inclusive Maker Clubs

The IDEAS Maker Program introduces 3D design and fabrication to middle school students with a range of abilities. This session will share the collaborative process used to design the program, how teachers adopted the maker mindset, and how this program can be used in diverse contexts.

Presenters

Wendy Martin

Senior Research Scientist, Education Development Center

Wendy Martin leads research, development and evaluation efforts focused on educational innovations such as digital science games, computational thinking programs, and maker activities. Most of the research she conducts uses a co-design approach that brings together educators, students... Read More →

David Wells

Director of Maker Programming, New York Hall of Science

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: AVL

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

For Teachers, by Teachers: Taking Professional Development Into Our Own Hands

Ever wished for professional development that was juicy, relevant, and based in research? Hear how a group of teachers from Oakland, CA, decided to take their professional growth into their own hands and built a popular teacher fellowship focused on student agency.

Presenters

Brooke Toczylowski

Co-Director, Agency by Design Oakland

Paula Mitchell

Teacher on Special Assignment, Oakland Unified School District

TSA at Grass Valley Elementary School focused on integration of hands-on, student-centered learning into all aspects of curriculum.

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 1

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Hands On, Brains On! Collaborating with STEM Experts to Design and Deliver Maker Learning Experiences for Families

Learn about how KID Museum worked collaboratively with STEM professionals from the community to design and deliver family maker workshops. Discover a framework for collaborating with non-educator STEM experts to develop authentic maker learning experiences, the outcomes from the collaboration, and lessons learned from the experience.

Presenters

Amanda Puerto Thorne

Director of Teaching and Learning, KID Museum

Amanda designs KID Museum’s learning experiences and oversees content and pedagogy for KID Museum's programs. She has special expertise in teaching early learners, robotics, and coding. Amanda’s previous experience includes work at the Center for Innovation in Early Learning at... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: Executive Room

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Managing Chaos: Top 10 Tips for Bringing Order to Creative Learning Spaces

Schools have spent the last 200+ years optimizing spaces and resources for teacher centered learning. After 10 years of running a makerspace for 650 kids, here are my top 10 tips for designing a creative learning space or optimizing your current one.

Presenters

Gary Donahue

Gary Donahue has held K12 administrative and teaching roles in four different countries and currently runs the MakerEd program at Chadwick International’s Village School in South Korea. Career highlights include spending a year working for a US developer to open a 250 million dollar... Read More →

Gary Donahue Makered2019 Presentation pdf

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Gathering Space

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Sprinting to Maker Learning Solutions

Identifying and implementing solutions to barriers that impede maker learning can be a tricky thing. Learn from educators who have taken part in "Maker Learning Engineering Sprints" to identify root causes and engineer actionable solutions that create the conditions for successful maker learning programs.

Presenters

Darla Gerlach

Teacher, Shaler Area School District

Experienced educator of 26 years in teaching differentiated instruction, project-based learning and maker learning in the Shaler Area School District, Glenshaw, PA; Fulbright-Hays Scholar, 2017, in Ethiopia researching & developing curriculum on ethnobotany/cultural traditions/sustainability... Read More →

Nick Schiner

Project Director - Maker Learning, Digital Promise

Nick is the Project Director for Digital Promise's Learning Experience Design team, working to grow maker learning programs across the nation. Prior to joining Digital Promise, he served as Team Leader for the Baltimore County Public Schools' Innovative Teaching & Learning team, establishing... Read More →

Samantha Utley

Equity, Inclusion, & Justice Coordinator, Falk Laboratory School

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Assembly Hall

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

Supporting ALL Students’ Learning by Co-Constructing Maker Practices Across School Communities

We’re grateful to have uncovered some of the secrets of collaborating around Maker practices: strong partnerships, learning that is simultaneously structured, unpredictable, and dynamic, and capacity for facilitation and evaluation. Join to glean your own takeaways as partners from South Fayette, Pittsburgh, and Schools That Can share this unique collaboration.

Presenters

Victoria Lojek

STEAM Teacher, South Fayette Township School District

Victoria Lojek teaches grades 3-5 STEAM at South Fayette Intermediate School. In addition to her STEAM role, Victoria sponsors the Girls Who Code Club and the Robotics Club. Victoria also serves as the project coordinator for the PA Smart Grant. Victoria holds a Master's Degree from... Read More →

Chelsea Glover

3rd grade ELA teacher

Chelsea L. Glover is a 3rd grade ELA teacher driven to educate children and inspire them to be critical thinkers with the world at their fingertips. Upon receiving her Masters in Elementary Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1998, Chelsea assisted in writing a Russian... Read More →

Erin Stiling

Program Manager, Schools That Can Pittsburgh

Erin Stiling is Manager of Programs with Schools That Can Pittsburgh and supports schools in growing their students’ computational thinking and capacity for and interest in computer science. She also specializes in strategic planning and implementation for other nonprofits and has... Read More →

Molly O'Malley Argueta

Principal, Pittsburgh Allegheny K–5 School

Molly O’Malley Argueta is in her ninth year as Principal of Pittsburgh Allegheny K–5 and is proud to have led the school to consistent growth and strong achievement in English Language Arts on Pennsylvania’s statewide assessments. As Principal, Molly has also helped Allegheny... Read More →

Presentation. supporting ALL students' learning pdf

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
NOVA Place: CoLab 3

Presentation

1:30pm EDT

We Come from Different Worlds: A Process of Empathy-building and Creative Making

Monica Chan is a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University. She was born and raised in Singapore, a country far from the United States, and even further culturally from the Harlem neighborhood in New York City, where she began her first year as a maker-educator in a public elementary school last year. In this presentation, she will discuss anecdotes of her experiences, offer new maker-educators suggestions on building empathy to engage students of color, and provide insights on the research-based constructionist approach that she implemented.

Presenters

Monica Chan

Doctoral Candidate, Teachers College, Columbia University

Monica Chan is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Mathematics, Science & Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University. At TC, Monica is a member of the Snow Day Learning Lab in the Instructional Technology & Media program. As a child-computer interaction researcher... Read More →

Sunday October 13, 2019 1:30pm - 2:15pm EDT
MuseumLab: Learning Lab 2

Presentation

2:30pm EDT

World Premiere!! Maker Educator PLAYnary: Social Justice and Maker Education

You don't want to miss this closing act! Join us for the world premiere of a collection of short plays, performed live by professional actors from the Pittsburgh area, and written by… CONFERENCE ATTENDEES! These sketches are written to invite deeper conversations about making, equity, race, and social justice through theatre. We would like to thank the Benedum Foundation for their support of the PLAYnary this year.

Sunday October 13, 2019 2:30pm - 4:15pm EDT
New Hazlett Theater 6 Allegheny Square E, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Full Conference Session

4:15pm EDT

Closing and Gratitude

Sunday October 13, 2019 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
New Hazlett Theater 6 Allegheny Square E, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Full Conference Session