CBA Outreach Efforts

Bakhtiar Mikhak

Learning Webs Group

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

A Brief History of ML Outreach Efforts

Pioneering outreach efforts by professors Papert and Resnick and their students to make sophisticated ideas and tools more accessible to marginalized audiences in a variety of different contexts

teachers and kids in traditional schools teachers and kids in vocational schools children and adults in after school centers youth in correctional facilities Museums and other informal learning

environments Some recent examples

The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network PIE (Playful Invention and Exploration)

Network of Museums

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

A Brief History of ML Outreach Efforts

International Efforts Laying the foundation for our current efforts

in the Digital Nations research consortium Addressing major social challenges

Such as health care, education, economic development

Continuing our long-term work in Central and South America

Currently expanding to new contexts like Asia (India) Africa

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Our Current Outreach Efforts

Many domestic sites A local Computer Clubhouse The Museum of Science in Minnesota

Impacting positively two other NSF funded projects PIE Museum Network The CYBORG Exhibit

International Sites Costa Rica

rural Technical and Scientific High Schools rural agricultural communities

India Senegal

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

A CBA FAB LAB A standard toolkit will make the sharing of

ideas, techniques, and solutions easier The toolkit includes

one IBM desktop computer one Roland MDX-20 mini NC mill and scanner one Roland CX-24 sign/circuit cutter two full Tower electronics development system test equipment:

oscilloscope, signal generator, multi-meter one Intel Play computer microscope a suite of commercial and research design tools one tabletop chemistry unit one low-cost RF analyzer

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Outreach Sites Two Sites at the Media Lab:

one in 016one in 344

ongoing software and hardware research and development efforts

user studies and activity development

This afternoon we will be visiting the very first Computer Clubhouse that was started as a collaboration between the Media Lab and the Boston Computer Museum (now part of the Boston Museum of Science)

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Outreach Sites

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Stories from one Site A multidisciplinary class (including professors

and students from electronics engineering, computer science, and industrial design) on

the engineering and developmental rationale (both at the level of the individuals and communities)

as well as the technical approach to system design for the Tower system

will be offered at the Institute of Technology in Costa Rica for the third time in August 2002.

Example projects include: Educational activities and tools Health and Environmental Sensing Application

Learning Webs Group, MIT Media Laboratory

Telling Time with your whole body

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