Makerspace workshops teach students new making skills
"Bryn Mawr students are such a curious and ambitious group, so they are always eager for opportunities to expanded their skills." - Jeff Hopkins, Educational Technology Specialist in LITS
"Bryn Mawr students are such a curious and ambitious group, so they are always eager for opportunities to expanded their skills." - Jeff Hopkins, Educational Technology Specialist in LITS
As part of helping students build their Digital Competencies, the Bryn Mawr makerspace has been holding workshops throughout the semester on a range of digital making skills. Workshops have focused on a range of skills, covering everything from hand spinning to 3D design and printing. For Makerspace Coordinator Bronwen Densmore, teaching students both analog and digital fabrication skills is vital to the space mission. "Quote from Bronwen about how it's important to teach students digital making skills."
One of Densmore's colleagues in the makerspace, Educational Technology Specialist, Sean Keenan, put that idea into action by organizing a workshop where student made electronic Valentine's Day cards. "We run this activity each Valentines Day," Keenan said, "because it's one of the ways we're able to take this big concept [electrical circuits] and give it a low barrier to entry so anyone who comes can grasp the concepts and leave with a circuit they made themselves." Despite some students having no experience with electronics, Keenan found they quickly took to the activity. Keenan's fellow Educatinal Technology Specialist, Jeff Hopkins, saw similar results during a workshop on creating coasters with makerspace's laser cutter. "Bryn Mawr students are such a curious and ambitious group," he said, "So they are always eager for opportunities to expanded their skills. As students perfect and printed their designs, their excitement was clear. They now can pursue projects they couldn't before the workshop."
With spring break concluded, the makerspace will be continuing with these workshops. "Quote from Bronwen about the kinds of workshops we'll run before the end of the semester. Students and community members can see the calendar of events on the makerspace website and the LITS Event Calendar. Advertisements will also run in the Daily Digest. Any questions and suggestions can be sent to makerspace@brynmawr.edu, including proposals future workshops. "Quote from Brownen about how we want to provide any and all workshops that have sufficient community interest."
