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Maker Culture Has a ‘Deeply Unsettling’ Gender Problem

“For us, the power of making is not that you had access to a 3D printer but that you have access to an inquiry process that allows for a deep dive into critical thinking.”

-Cusack

Sue Cusack, Associate Professor and Director of Lesley STEAM Learning Lab, reflects on gender and equity in maker culture. View the full article on EdSurge.

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Lesley STEAM welcomes Saudi Arabian Educators

Dr. Maha Al Sulaiman of Princess Nora University experiments in the makerspace.
Dr. Maha Al Sulaiman of Princess Nora University experiments in the makerspace.

Thirty-two Saudi Arabian college deans visited Lesley last week as part of a 10-day exploratory tour to learn about teacher preparation and development in the United States. The trip, organized by Harvard University, included a stopover at Lesley STEAM Learning Lab’s makerspace. View the full article on Lesley’s website here.

 

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Lesley STEAM joins in on 2018 Scratch Day @ MIT

Scratch Day at MIT participants engaged in circuit playground activity
Lesley STEAM’s Sue Cusack will join the Scratch Day @ MIT volunteer squad for an action-packed day of hands-on Scratch demonstrations, panels, tinkering, social meet-ups, and more. The Lifelong Kindergarten Group, organizers of the day, will host the 2018 Scratch Day @ MIT onsite event at their home in the MIT Media Lab.  Scratch Day is a worldwide network of events that encourages any organization or individual to host their own workshop or gathering in celebration of Scratch programming. Find a Scratch Day close to you – or create your own by clicking here!

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How to Assess Creative Learning Projects

Sue Cusack kicked off the February 8th, 2018 Unhangout for Educators session: “How to Assess Creative Learning Projects.”

Led by Yumiko Murai and Elizabeth Choe, members of the MIT Learning Initiative, the webinar included small group breakout sessions using a collaborative, inquiry-based tool called MetaRubric, developed by the MIT Teaching Systems Lab. Lesley STEAM also provided resources to support maker assessment. Past and future Unhangout for Educators sessions can be found here.

Watch Sue Cusack kick off the session:

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How to Use Tinkercad for Project Based Learning Webinar

Student engaged in Tinkercad designSue Cusack and Jacy Edelman, Director and Assistant Director for the Lesley STEAM Learning lab, were featured in a live webinar supporting the creative integration of Tinkercad into Project Based Learning.

Led by Kellyanne Mahoney, Youth Program Specialist at Autodesk, and joined by Lindsey Tosches and Matt Burch, partner teachers at the Kennedy School in Somerville, the webinar framed how Project Based Learning can work hand-in-hand with Universal Design for Learning frameworks to meet the needs of diverse learners.

January 25th, 6:30 EST
Click here to watch the recorded webinar!

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Teaming up to Tinker: Defending Play in Public Education

Teacher facilitates morse code jewelry activity
A partnership between Lesley’s Makerspace and Cambridge’s Tobin Montessori has reconceptualized science activities that explore sound, light, and digital waves through making. A collaborative team of Tobin Montessori teachers and the Lesley STEAM Learning Lab led a hands-on re-creation of elementary science activities and discussed how making inspires playful learning at Lesley University’s 2017 Community of Scholars Day.

Continue reading Teaming up to Tinker: Defending Play in Public Education