From the classroom

First files on the #lasercutter this semester. #cardboard #prototype #studentwork #classroom #projectbased #designtech #design #laser by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1UvwYFp

Fall Semester 2015-16

It's been a busy semester! Here are some of the things that we did in the design classroom first semester this year.  Just about all of the photos are from a grade 9 Design & Fabrication course - intro level, survey of a little of everything, just the basics. More to come from second semester!

Fab Learn Asia 2015

Fab Lab Kamakura co-founder, and Fab Learn Asia organizer, Youka Watanabe

I participated in Fab Learn Asia 2015 this December, presenting about our school program on Saturday, and on Sunday leading a workshop using the laser cutter and then also participating in the panel discussion at the end of the conference.  The conference itself was well attended, and included primarily people from Japan, but also from around the world, from various educational institutions, teachers and student presenters, fab labs, fab cafes, and industry leaders who shared expertise about their tools.  The workshops were kept primarily hands on and in the maker/fab lab spirit.   

Dr. Hiro Tanaka, co-founder of FabLab Kamakura, Keio University faculty

My presentation on Saturday

Arduino basic LED session

More Arduino basics in a workshop

STEM Study Night at Fab Cafe Shibuya

Takehiro Hagiwara (MESH), Aki Kawana (Loftwork), Youka Watanabe (FabLab Kamakura), me!, Matt Krebs (anthropologist), Clint Hamada (Yokohama International School)

I was excited to be asked to participate in the presentations and panel discussion for the STEM Study Night at the Fab Cafe in Shibuya in December.  I shared an overview of our K-12 design program and its use of Design Thinking, and participated in the panel discussion Q&A at the end of the session.  

The evening was well attended, with presentations and the following format: 

Moderator: Youka Watanabe 19: 00 - 7:05 p.m. Youka Watanabe Introduction 19:00 - 19:10 Daisuke Okabe: The Idea of STEM 19:15 - 19:30 

Matt Krebs: FabLabs x Cultural Anthropology in Japan 19:30 - 19:45 

Sarah Sutter: Case Study - The American School in Japan 19:45 - 20:00 

Clint Hamada: Case Study - Yokohama International School 20:15 - 20:30

Bradley Hayes: Case Study - The British School in Tokyo 20: 30 - 8:45 p.m. 

Takehiro Hagiwara: MESH 20:45 - 21:00

Aki Kawana:? What's Creativity 21:00 - 21:30 

Panel Session

 Check out the link to the program with bios of all the presenters. This was one of several preliminary events leading up to the Fab Learn Asia conference later in December, held in Yokohama. More on that to follow!

New CAD Center Space to teach in!

In August I returned to school, with the new Creative Arts Design Center finished and open! As with any new space, we scrambled to make it student-ready by the first day(s) of school, including new shelving for storage, custom tables, chairs, last minute orders of materials, and unpacking the things that had arrived already. The second floor of this marvelous building houses the design spaces, two dedicated middle school rooms, one flexible ms/hs room, one hs design studio, a robotics / programming room, and one room for elementary teachers to bring their students to for specific projects.  There is also a flexible "plaza" for additional collaborative work, presentations, or even concerts - the strings room is also on this floor!  Here are a few of the shots of the space from early on in the term.