makerspace

2017-06-22

Creative Coding at the art & craft school Robotti

I am currently working on an article concerning creative coding at the Käsityökoulu Robotti (art&craft school Robotti). Robotti is a non-profit organization that offers teaching on art&tech for children. Creative coding could be described as a programming that is more interested in expression than function, but in Robotti it is also used as a teaching method to empower children to take control of the surrounding digital world. As such it is a critical pedagogical tool as well as an artistic medium. The article is based on the authors own ethnographic study in Robotti as well as interviews and questionnaires of…

2014-10-30

Starting a hackerspace for kids

This january we started weekly teaching for 7 to 10 year olds in Käsityokoulu Robotti, which could be translated as arts & crafts school, but also as a hackerspace or as a makerspace. Käsityökoulu Robotti has a permanent space in Espoo Pikku Aurora art house. We have standard makerspace equipment such as 3D-printer, laser-cutter, computers, microcontrollers and some standard tools. But we also have suitable electronics for younger makers called Little Bits, which allows even 3 to 4-year olds to try out electronics and build things. All this equipment is not there to just to impress or amaze, but it…