makecast

Author Matt Zigler in the makerspace

Making as a Creative Practice

Matt Zigler is the author of a new book for educators titled “3 Modes of Making.” He talks about imitation, modification and innovation as three different modes of student projects, which develop different maker skills. Matt is an artist and educator who has been running the makerspace at Bullis, an independent school in the DC area. He brings a background in art and creative practice to the makerspace and his school. it’s not that every student is going to be an artist but every student should develop a creative practice, regardless of subject or area of interest.

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It’s Time to Design for Repair

It’s Time to Design for Repair

A Conversation With Jude Pullen Trying to repair almost anything can be a frustrating exercise. Repair is made more difficult by the way devices are designed and the ability to repair a device could be improved greatly if different design decisions were made. This moment in time demands a new generation of designers, engineers, and makers […]

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AI Robots Book and its Authors

AI Robots for Kids

This episode features an interview with the authors of a new book from Make: titled “AI Robots” which includes Reade Richard, Andy Forest, Brenda Shivanandan and Denzel Edwards. The book teaches kids how to build AI-powered projects using hands-on activities and coding. Each project has four different sections that include the physical build, electronics, coding […]

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Class at NoVA Labs in northern Virginia

The Challenge of Running a Community Makerspace

Jim Sweeney of NoVA Labs My guest on this episode of Make:cast is Jim Sweeney, the treasurer of NoVA Labs, a community makerspace in northern Virginia. Jim talks honestly about the challenges of growing a makerspace. With 700 members and many programs for young makers in the community, NoVA Labs has a bold vision of […]

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Chris Walker of Hack Club

Hack Club’s Chris Walker and Castle Bravo

Chris started Castle Bravo as a personal project — with the idea of turning a bouncy castle into a boat — a motorized floating bouncy castle.

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Students excited about a heart that they made

Authentic Learning and Making

Michael Stone is an educator who led efforts to create 34 Fab Labs in K-12 schools in Hamilton County, Tennessee, despite not thinking of himself as having any skills or interest in making. He was a basketball coach with a degree in computer science. Now, as Vice President of Innovative Learning for the Public Education […]

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Galen Powers - People Passionate About their Craft

People Passionate About Their Craft

You’ve probably never heard of my guest on this episode of the podcast. I’d never heard of Galen Powers either until Jeff Johnson of ChatLab in Chattanooga Tennessee introduced him to me and the three us got on Zoom to talk. Jeff had said that Galen would be reluctant to talk about himself but I […]

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