In the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, a number of furniture makers, craftsman and artisans reacted against the massive mechanization and industrialization of (their) modern world to create a type of furniture called Arts & Crafts, Craftsman or Mission style furniture. Gustav Stickley in New York, the Roycroft community and others created furniture,Continue reading “This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com”
Tag Archives: technology
This Week In the Classroom: Sketch Up Projects at the Middle School Level
In support of my Mathematics and Technology and Computer Applications: CAD courses, I’ve offered a number of Sketch Up projects for students to complete. In Mathematics and Technology, my students created eukaryotic animal cells while in Computer Applications the students created square, triangle and hexagon – based tessellations and designs. Two resources I used heavily in theContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: Sketch Up Projects at the Middle School Level”
On Kindles, iPads, SmartBoards, Prometheans and Apps in the Classroom
The textbook is now digital but students still encounter it as they always have: wisdom to be received, perhaps highlighted, annotated, and memorized, but not created, constructed, or made sense of. Teachers still interact with students as they always have. The platform doesn’t offer them any new insights into the ways their students think aboutContinue reading “On Kindles, iPads, SmartBoards, Prometheans and Apps in the Classroom”
Technology in Education: The Digital STEM Fair
You’ve been to a science fair, right? Tri-fold boards, volcanoes and blue ribbons. This month, my colleagues and I shepherded the “STEM Fair” into existence. The STEM Fair is a showcase for any Science, Technology, Engineering or Math project our students produced over the course of a month. My school produced forty to fifty blogContinue reading “Technology in Education: The Digital STEM Fair”
Course Curriculum: Computer Applications:CAD
After my quick reflections on the Tea Box project and my computer science course, I’d like to take a spin over to my most successful, challenging and rewarding class(es) this semester. I had the opportunity to teach 2 CAD courses with a great, energetic group of young men (and one woman). As the year progressedContinue reading “Course Curriculum: Computer Applications:CAD”
This Week in the Classroom: Computer Science & Electronics
The Fall 2011 semester came to an end last week. I’m taking stock of what-used-to-be (my previous semesters classes) and re-tooling, re-gearing and re-searching my way into new course-load. I’d like to start with my Computer Science & Electronics course. I described this course as: This course introduces computer programming to students with little orContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Computer Science & Electronics”
Community Watch: TX/RX Labs
This fall, I will be attending the 3D CAD, Plasma Cutter, Arduino & Welding I&II courses @ TX/RX Labs of Houston, TX. TX/RX is a non-profit hackerspace – a place for machine and electronic-centric project work -which recently opened on Commerce St. I’ve been by on their Friday night Open Houses and the crowd seemsContinue reading “Community Watch: TX/RX Labs”
The Google Sketch Up Lab
This year, I’ve been working closely with another colleague to create, a project-based CAD course. When I was presented with the challenge, I dove in head first. This week I have been presenting various perspective/drawing challenges to my students in an effort to assess their current capabilities. I’ve been enjoying a curriculum challenge, and afterContinue reading “The Google Sketch Up Lab”
Weather Stations, Web 2.0 Tools and John Merrow
This week, my colleague shanghaied one of my chalkboards for a weather station. While the chalkboard & wind unit may not seem like much, The hand-held reader really catches a teacher’s eye. This type of scientific information begs to be utilized in the classroom. Daily, nay, hourly temperatures can be recorded and used to findContinue reading “Weather Stations, Web 2.0 Tools and John Merrow”
This Week In the Classroom: Computers Ain’t Everything
Took over our conference room to work through some design challenges today. My students used Google SketchUp to start creating jewelry boxes, art car vehicles and bookshelves. During the Art Car class, I led the group building a 3D model on the big (like 50-60″ screen) TV. Computers+big screen TV+3d modeling software+we are building aContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: Computers Ain’t Everything”
WSC Designs 