Maker Faires, Makerspaces, and Bridging the Digital & Physical Worlds Together

Dan Schneiderman

Who here is a maker?

What do you make?

Everyone is a Maker!

“Makers are producers and creators, builders and shapers of the world around us. Makers are people who regard technology as an invitation to explore and experiment, with the most inclusive possible definition of technology, meaning any skill or technique that we learn and employ. What we once called hobbyists, tinkerers, artists, inventors, engineers, crafters---all of them are makers.”

Dale Dougherty

Founder of Make Magazine, Maker Faire, Maker Edu

Drones

Wearables

3D Printing

I-o-T

Robots

Programming

Games

Open Source

APIs

3D Rendering

Sewing

Woodworking

Baking

Welding

Laser Cutting

Painting

Sculpting

Data

Physical

Digital

Maker Mindset

Solving problems
Design doing
Prototyping
Experimenting
Making mistakes
Always learning
Cross-generational
Sharing
Play

A Brief History of the Maker Movement

Start of Civilization - 1950s

Making to Live, Arts, Crafts, 1st & 2nd Industrial Revolutions

1950s-1980s

Electronic Enthusiasts & Hobbyist Computer Clubs

1990s - 2005

PCs, Hacking & Hackerspaces

2005 - Make Magazine Launches, 1st Arduino released

2006 - 1st Maker Faire is held

2008 - Hackerspaces & Makerspaces start to pop up in the US

2009 - 1st Mini Maker Faire held, Kickstarter launched

2012 - 1st Raspberry Pi released, 1st Public Library Makerspace opens in Fayetteville, Maker Ed launched, Maker Faire reaches Europe & Asia

2014 - White House Maker Faire

2015 - National Week of Making organized by White House

2016 - Nation of Makers Non-Profit Created, Over 600+ Makerspaces in existence in US

Maker Faire

Greatest Show & Tell on Earth

8+ Maker Faires NYS

190+ Maker Faires World Wide

Makerspaces

Physical locations where communities share tools and help each other make things

Dedicated Spaces

Temporary Spaces

Mobile Spaces

Makerspaces in Rochester & Buffalo

Rochester Makerspace
Interlock Rochester
Adaspace
The Construct @ RIT
Rettner Hall @ U of R
Monroe County Library System
Sew Green Rochester
Genesee Center for the Arts
Buffalo Labs
The Foundry
Phelps Library

New York State Makerspaces

60+ Makerspaces
NYS Maker Network
- http://bit.ly/NYMakerResources
More popping up across the state!

School Makerspaces

How to Start One

1. Space

Do you already have a wood or metal shop
What tools don’t you have
Would a pop-up makerspace be better?
take out the tools
could fit in the library

2. Storage

If in a nonpermanent space, where are you going to store your tools?
Store projects
- Short Term?
- Long Term?
Good first project

3. Sound

Typical Makerspaces are louder than you think
Tools will depend on how much noise can you make
Need to be able to collaborate

4. Safety

General safety of tools (think saws)
Training
Do you bring in experts to teach teachers
Basic safety classes should be required before using any tools
How the school handles outside people coming in
School safety
First Aid Kit - make sure to deal with this first

5. Use

When will the space be used
- During school?
- After school?
How to deal with the blank page?
- What projects do students want to build?
- What skills do students want to learn?