Certain themes of our course are reflected in this video about The Tinkering Studio, some obvious and others more subtle. One obvious connection is we tinker! In The Tinkering Studio there is a lot of working with circuit boards, and specifically mentioned in the video, an individual could be challenged to “integrate a switch, or make to make 3 lightbulbs turn on instead of just one”. This is literally what we were working on in class today, and exactly what I made (a circuit with a switch and three lightbulbs).
The Tinkering Studio is a building with “loose parts, tools, and materials that allow us to explore different scientific phenomenon or different artistic practices” inside a museum. Discovery through exploring and experimenting with materials is also a connection this class shares with The Tinkering Studio. The Tinkering Studio selects “materials that invite inquiry” as a means of encouraging exploration and discovery in the same way our class utilizes digital applications and maker kit tools. We also do a lot of experimenting in this class, and play with materials I was not likely to have messed with otherwise. For example, I would have never thought to play with circuits on my own, though it is something I enjoy.
This video discusses the involvement of Initiative and Intentionality in the tinkering process, describing it as “setting one’s own goals”, “seeking and responding to feedback”, “persisting to achieve goals” and “taking intellectual risks”. Aspects of this are incorporated into our class, specifically in responding to feedback of our working process, by making adjustments and evolving our design as we progress. This video also connects tinkering to learning, describing it as “thinking with your hands”, and of course we naturally do this when we mess around with materials to figure out what works. Another connection is “taking intellectual risks”. The video discusses how adults are typically uncomfortable not knowing something, as they are “supposed to know the answer”. So in The Tinkering Studio the opposite is encouraged, and so is the confidence to have an alternate idea. In our class we are encouraged to take things in new and unexpected directions; to take risks.
Collaborative learning is another connection. Individuals in the video learn and tinker through social scaffolding, which provides help in solving problems, allows for new ideas and approaches, and offers the opportunity of “connecting with other’s work” and even interacting with it. Much of this is also done in our class; particularly in breakout groups, we provide trouble shooting and work through processes together, and share ideas. The blogs also allow us to connect to each other’s work.
As far as tinkering studio activities, I would like to try out the weird contraption that spins and vibrates with the permanent markers. I could potentially use this as a starting off point in creating some weird abstract art maybe. I would also like to try out the little yellow bobble head guy that detects beats in music through code. This would entertain me and be something I’d really enjoy because it’s goofy and fun. I would also like to try out conductive ink. I know it wasn’t an activity described, but one of the presenters mentioned that it was used on the cover of their book as an interactive element. This blew my mind that instead of wire or copper tape, you could actually paint or draw your circuit into a design. For me this makes what I could possibly do with circuits even more artsy and appealing.
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