The BC Museums Association is offering the first in a series of virtual workshops, Museum Makers – Creating Interactive Exhibits and Programming with Makey Makey and Scratch. Unlike webinars that provide brief introductions and discussions about topics, virtual workshops are professional development opportunities that allow you to gain hands-on skills over a longer period of time. Our first virtual workshop will take place on January 21, 28, and February 4, 2021.
In this three-session online workshop, you’ll learn how to harness the maker movement and start using coding and microcontrollers in your interactive exhibit design and museum programming.
Coding and incorporating technology into your museum practice doesn’t need to be scary – join the BCMA as we explore how the maker movement can enrich your practice and get hands-on with technologies that anyone, regardless of previous experience, can use to build innovative (and even COVID-friendly hands-off) experiences.
Scratch is a free online program and the Makey Makey is an interactive microcontroller – when the two are combined, anything is possible; from DIY interactive maps to human video game controllers, to fruit pianos, to hands-free interactive displays. You will leave the workshop with your very own Makey Makey and the skills and resources you’ll need to start creating unforgettable, innovative museum experiences.
This three-session online workshop will take place via Zoom. All attendees will be sent their own Makey Makey prior to the workshop and a list of helpful materials to have access to during the workshop. To ensure the BCMA has enough time to order and ship enough Makey Makeys for all participants, registration will close one month prior to the first workshop.
Learning Outcomes:
In this online workshop, participants will:
Schedule:
Session 1 – January, 21: Introduction to the Maker Movement and Microcontrollers (1.5 hours)
Session 2 – January, 28: Learning to Code and Expanding Your Digital Literacy (1.5 hours)
Session 3 – February, 3: Interactive Exhibit Design and Hands-On/Off Museum Programming (1.5 hours)
Cost: $150 (non-members), $100 (members), plus all attendees will leave with a Makey Makey microcontroller (approximate value $70).
About the Instructors:
Ryan Hunt, Executive Director, BC Museums Association: Before joining the BCMA, Ryan co-founded Canada’s first mobile makerspace and award-winning social enterprise, called the MakerBus, and reached more than 30,000 youth and educators in Southern Ontario with hands-on digital literacy programming. In 2016 the MakerBus partnered with the Thames Valley District School Board to deliver a week-long digital literacy teacher training event that allowed more than 1,000 teachers and librarians to get hands-on with emerging technologies. Simple, accessible technologies can enable cultural organizations to unleash their limitless creative potential and Ryan is excited to bring this new virtual workshop to the members of the BCMA.
Lorenda Calvert, Program Coordinator, BC Museums Association: Lorenda has a passion for informal education and cross-generational learning. Her previous role as the Education & Public Program Coordinator at Burnaby Village Museum honed her skills of creating engaging educational opportunities and fostering connections between students, community groups, informal educators and members of the public. Lorenda believes that we are all lifelong learners and encourages everyone to seek out opportunities that inspire us.