Digital Revolution

Some of the most interesting and enlightening talks at the D.C. Symposium on Contemporary Craft were focused on digital technology. I felt these talks were important to attend, based on the emphasis put on technology and media literacy in Theory and Practice, and also because they talked about education in relation to the topic as well.

A speaker named Garth Johnson gave a talk titled, “A Hackerspace of One’s Own”. He was concerned with the decline of vocational education as a result of the focus on common core. He showed some old videos from the 1960’s and 1970’s with boys in shop class and girls in home ec. This used to be the norm, but it it was gender specific. We can’t deny that the roles have changed and intermingled and that now it becoming an accepted reality that a boy may want to sew a pair of pants and a girl may want to build a soap box derby car. However, these classes are not necessarily a part of the general curriculum any more. The problem is also that the subject matter of shop and home ec. are somewhat antiquated.

Garth Johnson told us about “Maker space”, the new shop class. Boys and girls can both attend and the facility is equipped with a CnC machine, a 3D printer, and laser cutters.  These are all technologies that are relevant and being used to create things all over the world, including SUNY New Paltz. We are so lucky to have access to these amazing tools, and young kids should get the chance to use them too! “Maker Space” is supported by the ACTE, Association for Career and Technology Education. This Association aims to combine writing and science with everyday study and experience. Students can take career-themed classes, and they come in so excited to learn in a hands on environment.

Johnson also mentioned several other programs. Studio H in North Carolina, which conducts community-based projects, teaches students about the new notion of literacy and how to be expressive through the tools we use today. They even have lesson plans available online! Go to http://www.studio-h.org/. PLTW, Project Lead the Way introduces students to engineering, aerospace and robotics as ways to promote critical thinking.

Another talk featured a panel of 3 people, an MIT Professor, a community FabLab director, and the head of Haystack Mt. School of Crafts. The MIT Professor talked about using technology as a medium for personal expression and problem solving. The community FabLab director talked about the facility in D.C. that is open to the public, where people of all ages can come learn about digital fabrication, and she also includes after-school programs. The head of Haystack Mt. School of Crafts told us about how he opened up to digital technology in the making process. The MIT Professor came to Haystack and shared his knowledge and digital tools, so now Haystack has a FabLab and integrates digital fabrication workshops in with their handicraft workshops. It’s all coming together and people are realizing that digital technology simply offers another way to create!