MakingSpaces:ExpandingMakinginSchoolsAcrosstheNation,HubFAQWhatistheMakingSpaces:ExpandingMakerEducationAcrosstheNationProgram?MakingSpacesisapartnershipbetweenGoogle,theMakerEducationInitiative,aprojectofTidesCenter(MakerEd)andtheChildren’sMuseumofPittsburgh(CMP),whichaimstodevelopanationalstrategytosustainablyintegratemakingintoschoolsacrossthecountry.Theprogramwillemployaninnovativemodelwheremultipleparticipatingschoolsarepairedwithanearbyhub(suchasaschooldistrict,alibrary,amuseum,oracommunityorganization).Thesehubswillprovidetheschoolswithprofessionaldevelopmentandsupporttohelpjumpstartandsustainmakereducationinclassroomsthroughcommunityengagement.Inparticular,hubswillworkcloselywithschoolstolaunchacrowdfundingcampaigntoraisefundsandlocalsupport.Duringthe2016-2017academicyear,theMakingSpacesprogramwillhave10participatinghubsthatwilleachworkwith5to10regionalschools,creatinganationalresourcenetwork.
WhatistheroleofaHubintheMakingSpacesProject?EachHubwillworkwith5-10regionalschoolstoraisecommunityawareness,fundingandcapacityforintegratingmakinginwaysthatmeaningfullyfitwithineachschool.Thismayincludeprovidingprofessionaldevelopmentforteachersandadministrators,programmingforstudents,andassistingschoolsincreatingandlaunchingcrowdfundingcampaigns.Inaddition,eachhubwillparticipateinmonthlyGooglehangoutsandin-personnetworkmeet-upsintheFallandSpringofthe2016-2017schoolyear.WhataretherolesofChildren’sMuseumofPittsburghandMakerEdintheMakingSpacesProject?MakerEdandCMPwillactas“meta-hubs,”supporting,training,andconnectingparticipatinghubsasthesehubssupport,train,andconnectschools.Additionally,bothwillserveandsupporttheirowncohortofschools,withCMPfocusinginonthePittsburghareaandMakerEdprovidingvirtualsupportforschoolsthatwanttoparticipatebutarenotgeographicallylocatednearaparticipatinghub.WhatarethecoreresponsibilitiesofeachHub?Asaregionalhub,yourorganization'sprimaryresponsibilitieswillbeto:Select5-10localorregionalschoolswithwhichtopartner.Thismayinclude
● Reachingouttocurrentordesiredpartnerschools● Developingandfacilitatinganapplicationandselectionprocessforpartnership● Meetingwithschoolstoexplaintheprojectandtheprocess
Workwithschoolstofindavisionandplantheirmakereducationwork.Thismayinclude
● Identifyingapointpersonandprojectteamateachschool● Assistschoolsindetermininggoalsfortheirmakerspaceand/ormakerprogram● Workwithschoolstodeterminetheircrowdfundinggoalsandplatform
Assistschoolsincreatingandlaunchingtheircrowdfundingcampaigns.Thismayinclude
● Assistschoolsintheircreationofafundraisingbudget,campaignandcommunityoutreachstrategy,projectpageandphotosand/orvideo(ifapplicabletocrowdfundingplatform)
● Provideprofessionaldevelopmenttohelpschoolsbetterunderstandmakingpriortocreatingtheircampaigns,ifneeded
● Oncecampaignsarelaunched,monitorcampaignsandhelpschoolsspreadthewordthroughsocialmediaplatformsandcommunityandnationaloutreach
Deepenandexpandpartnershipwithschools.Thismayinclude● Workwithschoolstoprovideprofessionaldevelopment,designconsultingandotherservice*● Continuethepartnershipwithschoolsbeyondthisproject
ParticipateinNationalNetworkActivities.Thisincludes,
● NetworkMeet-UpatWorldMakerFaireinNYC,October2016● NetworkMeet-UpatBayAreaMakerFaireandMakerEd’sEducatorConveninginSanFrancisco,May
2017● Regular,monthlyGoogleHangoutswithNetworkmembers
WhatresourcesandsupportswillbeavailabletotheHubs?
● HubswillreceivefinancialsupportfromGoogleof$15,000(throughDecember2016),aswellasanadditional$5000in2017,tooffsetstafftimeandresourcecosts,aswellasfundingtoattendNetworkMeet-Ups.
● TrainingandsupportfromMakerEdandCMPthroughNetworkMeet-Ups,GoogleHangouts,OnlineMakerEdLearningModules,andregularcorrespondence
● AToolkitofResourcestosupportHubsintheirworkwithschools.Thetoolkitwillincluderesourcessuchas:anactionplan,sampleapplicationforschools,cost-analysisandbudgetingworksheet,CrowdfundingProfessionalDevelopmentresources,samplecrowdfundingcampaignmaterials,etc.
● Connectiontoanation-widecommunityofmakereducators● Anewapproachtopartnershipandrevenueforprofessionaldevelopmentandrelatedservicesfor
schoolsandeducationalpartners● VisibilityinanationaleffortthathasdrawnattentionfromtheWhiteHouse
WhatistheresourcecommitmentofbeingaHub?Yourlevelofinvolvementwilldependonyourinstitutionalgoals,capacity,andavailableresources.Stafftimeisneededtolaunchandsupporttheprogramandyourrelationshipswithpartnerschools.Theamountoftimewilldependonhowyoudecidetoimplementtheprogram(differentimplementationstrategieswillbeprovidedinthetoolkit).Animportantthingtokeepinmindisthatcostsforstafftimeandresourcesspentpriortothelaunchandsuccessoftheschools’crowdfundingcampaignsmightnotbereimbursedfromtheschoolsuntilafterfundsareraised.Thismaymeanthatsomeservicesmayneedtobedeliveredin-kindorthathubsandschoolscreateamemorandumofunderstandingtoensurethathubsarereimbursedfortheirpriorinvestmentofservicesandresources.Whatistheprojecttimeline?
● Fall2016-Hubsselectpartneringschoolsandbegintraininginmakereducationandincreatingsuccessfulfundraisingcampaigns
● Winter-Spring2017-Schoolssuccessfullylaunchfundraisingcampaigns● Spring-Summer2017Schoolsworkwithhubstocreatetheirmakerspaces/programsandparticipatein
professionaldevelopment
*Fundsraisedbyschoolsshouldcovercostsassociatedwithprofessionaldevelopment,makerspacedesign,materialsandtools.
