Inquiry Group 1
At the top of this slide deck, please write out a new Essential Question that synthesizes all of your individual questions.
Consider:
Essential Question: How do we create partnerships with different community stakeholders that will last for years to come?
Alexa Rose
Great questions! Have you all thought to send out a survey virtually or potentially go door to door? (Related to #2)
Connect with the Education Department at the museums you want to work with
Could the muesuem be used for project development eg. design exhibit for an animal.
How about using digital platforms for assessments and surveys such as Google Forms?
2. Maybe talking with local schools/programs that host children and see how they are handling this situation and they might have insight into the needs of their students
Great questions. You might gain insight to address your responses to Q1 & Q3 once you do a needs assessment which will identify who you might collaborate with and how to motivate new volunteers.
3. Maybe you connect with local business or corporations to see if it may be beneficial for them to be invested in maker spaces. Talent recruitment, prototyping, etc.
Alexis Brown
Get statistics and survey results from participants to demonstrate effect- AR
Pre & post surveys, attendance numbers--CMSC/Sandra
Video testimonies are great for getting others excited.
Liz (Dayton Regional STEM Center)
Data is key and essential. Creating a presentation with data and stats will always get the attention of stakeholders.
Publish case studies/examples of your program to highlight your great work
Don’t be afraid to Toot Your Own Horn! Social Media, newspapers, mailouts, Chamber of Commerce, Zoom sessions, etc - Serena
People love DATA! Give them numbers that show impact.
I’ll echo what Serena said, get your message out there. Share your results, use existing literature and documentation that focuses on the success of maker-centered learning. NS
Ashlee Moody
Have community meetings with both school reps and community members. CMSC/Sandra
How might a SWOT (Strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis help support your work and essential question?
Are there any community initiatives or non-profit organizations that could benefit from a shared invesment in makerspaces and maker culture. Ex: art collectives, museums, local businesses. Integrating could be as simple as reaching out to them via email
Essential Question
This is a really good question. If there’s a disconnect between the community and schools, you need to map out a strategy for this. For example, create an open house or have a booth during a back to school night, consider faith based institutions too. Show up where the people are already going to be (parents or community members). -Joe
Joel Keefer
Have office hours! _AR
I think setting goals and holding stakeholders accountable is huge! It also helps you show them a then vs. now of their impact in the program. -Madison
Look for opportunites to connect students with local business or colleges. Create a pathway for students to work beyond the current maker space.
Hey Joel! I am the fellow at GCSC so we should all connect soon to discuss relationships with stakeholders.
-Karan
In what ways can we create and maintain meaningful relationships that build the capacity of all stakeholders involved?
Help stakeholders build rapport with one another so they feel comfortable asking for what they need while capacity building, creating a reinforcement network where everyone lifts everyone else up.
-Erin
Try to understand their biggest challenge that you can help them with, Kim
Kathleen Bilse
Definitely consider partnering with other organizations, but also see if you can get schools involved! School greenhouses, field trips, or environmental ed in the classroom can be foundational for kids to think about their impact on the environment - Madison
I agree partner with other organizations in the community or bringing in guest lectures or speakers to discuss environmental issues. Also working with national organizations. - Lexi
Get to know as many teachers as possible in your area and ask everyone this question!
If I recall correctly, you’re in Ventura, CA. Maybe you can connect environmental ed to the farming community throughout the Oxnard Plain/ connect with ppl already doing this. Professors @ CSUCI may be a resource; Dr. Ruben Alarcon is working on pollination ecology.
-Jessi Orth
Maybe you can partner with an organization in your community that focuses on environmental education and create a lesson plan to teach students about it. -Rose
List the resources that you have available right now and how they can help you provide environmental education.
Thinking about audience, topics, relevant current events.
What is the most effective way to provide outreach and awareness about environmental education?
Think about what type of connections you may have with stakeholders to get them involved. Or what other platforms can be useful besides your host site location.
-Ashlee
Maya Panicker
There are fundamental questions of how malleable education is willing to be to play outside their sandbox.
The voice and needs of the labor market eg businesses and economic opportunity also are powerful if they are immediately made relevant to educators.
Public education is a foundational cornerstone however often are not at grassroots or sometimes “community based” or quickly moving or adaptable. as nonprofit organizations. It will take a true public private partnership perspective understanding the dynamics .
If it comes from a student perspective and ideally student voice it has more power to increase accessibility
I am having similar questions within my organization. One of the biggest things I have thought about is trying to bridge the gap between these organizations that provide resources and support and the local schools and communities. How can we bridge this gap within the programs we implement? - Lexi
Go into the communities. Meet the people. Ask them what they need.
We start a dialogue with the community to determine their interests.
I think this is a very great question and something that connects to Maggie’s question above. How do we make sure that our organization fits with the needs of students and educators and does not cause unintended harm?
There are a lot of well meaning organizations that are interested in making different educational pedagogies more accessible but that are not addressing the needs of the communities they are entering into, how are we different?
Rose Denor
Ask for donations from local business.
2. Creating projects for students that are focused on sustainability! Creating solutions for the current environmental issues would be a great way to get students more involved and conscious of their footprint.
The low-resolution prototyping/iteration process can be accomplished using a paper and pen. Or stepping up to pipe-cleaners and popsicle sticks. - NS
Perhaps maker spaces could focus on using materials that last a great deal longer, rather than so many disposable items.
To implement maker learning in schools that lack resources you can deliver kits and set up mobile sites.
Maybe use more digital means for environmental friendliness? -AR
How do we start a relationship with museums to engage them? -AR
How can we work with Museums as a shareholder to create more maker learning for students?
How can we make maker learning more environmentally sustainable and accessible?
Serena Mari Garcia
I think connecting with schools is also a big deal here. If you can teach students about your resources, they may not take advantage of it now, but maybe they will remember the organization later on if they need it.
POST DEBRIEF - Eric stated to me that he made himself known within the community first and then had parents reach out to the organization after word of mouth to build relationships.
Interesting question. When people have the threat of poverty looming, it seems like making the resources your site has available as clear as possible would help get people involved. Marketing a big deal then?.
Connect with local businesses and non-profits-ARl
Perhapst reframing question to determine what are the relationship dynamics in the org and the community. Including their County HHSA system which typically provides the public services to those in poverty. Also look at Faith Based motivations and dynamics related to poverty.
In which areas can I best facilitate building relationships, which are typically built on justifiable poverty paranoia, between the organization and community?
Siobhan Shamlian
The more buy-in you have from your community, the stronger a position you are in when looking for additional resources or trying to reach specific groups.
-Erin
Political will can also be a powerful driver. Look at power and influence dynamics to hone in on that question.
Have some community-based fun projects (well eventually after COVID) and get the local media involved, we did that at our community college, the admins loved it...projects, competitions, are fun and then you mention maker centric learning, pathways to careers, bang!
$! If STEM and making isn’t a priority, then it is unlikely to be funded. Importance of outreach to stakeholders?
I would think about what kind of data could show public opinions and government support. What kind of evidence exists that can help you answer your question?
How does public opinion/governmental support of maker-centered learning affect our success?