MakerBot in schools
Learning.Don
Rick Osgood
I have never done any work with MakerBot in schools. Is that a program or something that is already established or more of a general question? I would be interested in getting involved in something like that depending on where and when.
Don Domes
It is a general question. The USA is falling behind in engineering and design world wide. We graduate less than 8% of the engineers in the world! It would seem to me that kids could get excited about creating things and actually holding on to them with MakerBot. Your thoughts?
Rick Osgood
I completely agree. I actually cofounded HeatSync Labs hacker space in Arizona before I moved to Eugene about a year ago. hacker spaces are starting to pick up where schools are falling being in terms of engineering and innovation. I also more recently cofounded Eugene maker space here in Eugene and we are starting to pick up momentum.
I have been hoping to get EMS involved with schools and younger kids once we get to a more stable state that would allow for that kind of thing. I think using a MakerBot is a great way to get kids excited about creating things. I brought mine to Da Vinci Days in July and kids really responded to it. They were amazed to find out that this type of technology exists. I think kids' minds are naturally more creative and have a tendency to be able to think outside the box more than adults do. A MakerBot would really allow them to easily bring things from their imagination to reality.