Workshops
Call for participation
This year, we have 3 scientific workshops that run in parallel on Wednesday, June 2 from 13:00-14.30/15:00. These workshop fees are included in the conference registration. We further offer one featured workshop conducted by the Maydays on Thursday, June 3 from 10:15-11:00 (EUR 20, prior registration required!).
Workshop 1: Incorporating Maker-Centered Learning in Formal Education (90 min)
Wednesday, June 2 from 13:00-14.30
Dorit Assaf, Yungjin Oh St. Gallen University of Teacher Education, Switzerland (dorit.assaf@phsg.ch)
Yungjin Oh, St. Gallen University of Teacher Education, Switzerland (yungjin.oh@phsg.ch)
Sabrina Strässle, Thurgau University of Teacher Education, Switzerland (sabrina.straessle@phtg.ch)
Call for participation
Maker-centered learning environments with their media- and tool-rich open spaces are suggested to foster a variety of important skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, digital literacy, computational thinking etc. Many initiatives emerged that brought Making closer to students of compulsory education in the last couple of years. Many of these initiatives exist in informal learning settings, such as after-school programs, summer camps, optional courses in schools, libraries, museums etc. Currently, Making has not been established broadly in formal education. This is, however, necessary if a greater variety of students should be reached. In this workshop, teachers that are interested in Making will meet other teachers that already introduced Making in their classrooms. If you are such an early adopter and would like to share your experiences and best practices as a panel member, please contact us! Anyone else interested in Making is invited to participate in the workshop discussion.
Slides:
Workshop 2: Creative, Engaging, and Playful “Making”-Activities with Smartphones and Embroidery Machines (90 min)
Wednesday, June 2 from 12:00-13.30
Bernadette Spieler, Zurich University of Teacher Education, Switzerland (bernadette.spieler@phzh.ch)
Vesna Krnjic, Graz University of Technology, Austria (vesna.krnjic@ist.tugraz.at)
Abstract
Smartphones have become the predominant way many students interact online, and mobile apps offer an ideal way to engage this audience. The Catrobat apps are used in this area, particularly for creating apps and thus teaching basic programming skills. During the “Code’n’Stitch” project, the apps have been extended with the creation of patterns, geometric, and artistic textile designs, as well as the programming of traditional embroidery machines. In this way, students not only learn programming, but they can also show the results of their code in a tangible way, embroidered on their shirts or bags. To take the idea of “Making” further, a combination with a sewing machine is possible: Fabrics can first be embroidered with programmed designs and then sewn into “cherry pit pillows”. This idea was successfully integrated for the “Maker Days for Kids” event at Graz University of Technology in 2019 and 2020.
Call for participation
The target audience for this workshop is secondary school teachers and educators from different subjects and anyone interested in the possibilities of creating digital fabrication for Maker Spaces or creative open learning settings. Participants will experiment with coding concepts to create different shapes and patterns. This highly creative process could also be used as a cross-curricular approach in schools; for example, this could be utilized in craft or mathematics classes. The Catrobat apps Embroidery Designer for Android devices (https://catrob.at/ED) or the Pocket Code app for iOS devices (https://catrob.at/PCios) are used to create these designs. These apps allow users to easily program patterns directly on their mobile devices. Through the “Lego”-style visual programming language, users can assemble code bricks into different shapes and designs that can later be stitched using traditional embroidery machines. Through this process, our apps focus on teaching computer skills, developing computational thinking, and promoting creativity.
Workshop 3: Making the World Cleaner: Data Computation and Communication in a Design Landscape (120 min)
Wednesday, June 2 from 13:00-15:00
Janet C Read, CHiCI Research Group, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK (JCRead@UCLan.ac.uk)
Dan Fitton, CHiCI Research Group, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK (DBFitton@UCLan.ac.uk)
Paul Edge, Ribblesdale High School, Queens Rd, Clitheroe, UK (PEdge@ribblesdale.org)
Charleigh Farrow, Ribblesdale High School, Queens Rd, Clitheroe, UK (CFarrow@ribblesdale.org)
Abstract
To gain maximum benefit from maker projects it is important to facilitate young people to fully engage with the outputs. In a multi week project we have been exploring ways to combine making and design with instruction on data interpretation, data visualization and science communication. Young people aged 12/13 have disseminated findings from an environmental project to children in primary schools. In this workshop we seek to bring together others doing, or aiming to do, similar work with the hope to bring together a community of interested parties and to share good practice on the integration of building and instruction. This workshop will focus on exploring how maker projects can be used to raise environmental awareness for both the participants and for those who are informed about such projects.
Call for participation
The workshop: Making the World Cleaner: Data Computation and Communication in a Design Landscape will explore how a Maker tech project in a school can incorporate data visualization and science communication. Positioning our discussion in the workshop against a multi week project in the UK, and with input from the young people who participated in that project, we are interested in bringing together a community who want to empower young people to collect, visualize and then communicate data. We encourage interested individuals to submit either a short paper 2 – 4 pages ACM format – or simply and expression of interest – 1 page – to the organizers. We believe the workshop will be of interest to those looking at environmental sensing with children, those looking to disseminate findings to younger children and those seeking to educate young people in the basics of data science. Submissions should be sent by email to the organizers.
The Maydays workshop on creativity, ideation, and communication (45 minutes) (EUR 20)
Thursday, June 3 from 10:15-11:00
Note: this workshop has limited number of places and conference participants can register at a first-come-first-serve basis. Workshop registration and payment is done upon conference registration.
FabLearn Europe/MakeED 2021 has teamed up with The Maydays to run a fun workshop session which will create a safe space in which to develop your powers of thinking outside the box. You’ll more than likely laugh a lot, learn a little about yourself whilst sharing in the fun of building on each other’s ideas to get to unbelievable outcomes. What’s more, you’ll get some great ideas and approaches to take back and use with your own teams and organisations. All in 45 minutes! Sign up now because places are strictly limited.
About the Maydays
The Maydays are one of the world’s most prominent improv comedy troupes, who headline in the UK and around the world at improv and comedy festivals. For the last 15 years, The Maydays have also been helping organisations like Microsoft, GSK, Unilever and Deloitte to use some of the transferable skills from improvisation to boost creativity, collaboration, confidence and, above all else, joy and happiness.
The Maydays are: Edmund Fargher, Heather Urquhart, Chris Mead, Jules Munns, Liz Peters, Joe Samuels, Chris Read.
