Designing the Space & Digital Fabrication

Today is Core Block 3: Digital Fabrication and Core Block 4: Digital Design Lab. We also had a lecture at the beginning of the day that included a panel of facilitators talking about their own makerspaces, which was awesome! That is where I'm thinking I want to spend some of my time today - developing layout, storage, and agreements for the space. I also want to develop some kind of curriculum piece that we can implemented during orientation or I can implement during one of my early projects. For example, the implemeneted a sticker task after the opening session today where we have to take a random sheet of vinyl stickers and apply them to a glass window on the lab. We have to...

1. Pick a random shape from our sticker set
2. Join the individual shape to the existing ones until we create a continuous line across windows

I love this idea, and I think I'm going to try to figure out how to implement this as a part of orientation in August because I think it fits really well with our community theme and can serve as a cool art piece for the rest of the year.

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CORE BLOCK 3: DIGITAL FABRICATION

This session was pretty interesting, but a bit overwhelming with the number of steps I would have to take students through. Although, I think the concept of having students hand draw pieces (or even design them in Google Drawings) in order to cut them out on the Cricut machine IS feasible as far as price and ease of use. I could see our Spanish facilitator encouraging students to use this and/or even the history teachers having students do some of this to 3D model different timelines and scenes for gallery walk displays. By using the Cricut to cut the pieces, it simplifies the number of steps we'd have to do on the laser cutter.

Through this activity, I started questioning what the Cricut can do that I haven't explored yet. I know the software is pretty limited, but this activity opened up some 3D possibilities that I hadn't thought of before. After some exploration I found this other blog post from "Hey, Let's Make Stuff" that shows the different materials that a Cricut can cut.

CORE BLOCK 4: DIGITAL DESIGN LAB

In this core block we explored our different options for designing including CNC machines, vinyl cutters, laser cutters, and 3D printers. This is the expensive stuff (mostly). Since we already have  a CNC lathe, I'd like to focus on how to make that more usable because it cannot be used in its current space because of noise and ventilation. We also have two 3D printers, but again these are going to be about relocation and that is in another colleague's wheelhouse anyway. I think a regular Cricut would meet the majority of our needs. I'm mostly interested in the laser cutter machines. I think they have a lot of potential to be useful in project design across multiple content areas for both cutting and burning wood and different types of materials. I could see multiple applications with Future Con, the combined history/humanities classes, and science. I think that the laser cutter would even connect with the Rube Goldberg machines we latched onto yesterday, which crossed multiple disciplines. My struggle right now is whether or not the initial cost of the machine ($3500 at the lowest end), plus the cost of materials is really worth it. I am also unsure at this time what programs/software are needed. I'm intrigued, but some need to knows I still have are...

1. Can we use CAD? 
2. Can we use Illustrator? 
3. What file types does it print? 
4. How does it get from my device to the machine? 
5. How precise would it need to be (because the cheaper ones aren't super precise) in order to do some of the building of gears and other functions? 

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MAKECODE ROTATIONS

Makecode is very similar to Scratch but also has a handwriting ability using JavaScript. I'm interested in this, but after one session with the MicroBits, I was overwhelmed. I'm a little happy that I did not do any of the coding tracks this week because I don't know if my brain would have been able to keep up.

I actually ducked out and sat to work on reflection during the second rotation, but I'm hoping that is enough of a brain rest to jump back in to the third one with Chibitronics.

At this point, I'm extremely overwhelmed. I'm not panicking, but I'm at my limit. My brain is flooded. I feel so scattered that I just really can't even latch on to any one idea to begin to develop because my thoughts are all over the place.

I'm hoping to get some clarification on the Passion Project/Prototype thing we're supposed to do over the next few days. I'm really hoping I can do one if not two things...

1. Start laying out a document and Google Site with the basics of the makerspace
1. What do we have? 
2. How do people check things out? 
3. How can/should the space be used? 
4. Basic tutorials (written and video) for what we have
5. Resources for what we have
6. Room layout/arrangement/organization
7. Grant ideas for funding for most immediate needs
   
2. How can I use the Rube Goldberg machines as a possible final deliverable for the Dystopian Book Study portion of Future Con. I think this is a big one I want to develop because I think students would be particularly interested in it. We could incorporate a lot of basic plot information into the machines, but I also think there has to be a way to have students incorporate theme and characterization as well - maybe through an oral comm presentation piece. I also love the idea of making the students connect their machines to show how all the books are interconnected or similar somehow. 

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Spent the evening enjoying Bloomington and campus. I graduated from IU in 2010 so it's awesome being able to walk around campus and go to some of my favorite food place. After dinner at Mother Bears and a 25 minute walk to Baked for fresh cookies, my mind felt fairly refreshed. My roommate and I also met up with someone else from our district as well as two people from our class. I even brainstormed ideas for my Prototype Project! Hoping tomorrow is going to feel more productive!