MEGA-Page of Workshop Resources

Tips for School Architects by a “Maker” Educator

Gary Stager’s Coding in the Age of AI Virtual Workshop On-Demand

Click here to watch the hands-on workshop on-demand video and read related resources. (April 2023)

Stephen Wolfram on ChatGPT and Computational Thinking

Will AIs Take All Our Jobs and End Human History—or Not? Well, It’s Complicated…

What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?

Wolfram|Alpha as the Way to Bring Computational Knowledge Superpowers to ChatGPT

New Computing Challenges

Pandemic-era Writing

New – The Constructing Modern Knowledge Podcast

Live @ Constructing Modern Knowledge – Interviews, keynotes, and more from Gary Stager.

Projects & Citizen Science

Media used in some of our workshops

Frank Gehry Masterclass

The 3N problem online

Teaching using projects

Creating effective project prompts

The Project Approach

Books on The Project Approach

Making Learning Whole

Making Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching Can Transform Education – David Perkins outlines seven practical strategies that educators can use to create more authentic learning experiences.

Centers & Choice Time

outdoor learning book

Outdoor Learning: Leave the Classroom Behind

Gary Stager recently contributed to a new publication by arguably the world’s best school architect and learning space designer, Prakash Nair. 

With COVID-19 seemingly here to stay, there is now a serious move to take learning outside to maximize school capacity. Social distancing is easier outside than within the confines of a classroom. It is likely that outdoor learning, until very recently a novelty, will soon become quite widespread. This white paper is the most comprehensive treatise on the subject of Outdoor Learning presented from the perspective of educators, architects, neurologists and environmental scientists.

More about progressive education

Constance Kamii Math Resources

Constance Kamii math videos (multiple videos)
Constance Kamii Direct vs Indirect Ways of Teaching Number Concepts at Ages 4-6
A comprehensive lecture explaining Piagetian ideas showing that although number concepts cannot be taught directly, they can be taught indirectly by encouraging children to think.

Kamii Games for Developing Number Sense

Teaching Programming

Articles about Teaching Programming

Summer Camp Computing presentation by Gary Stager

Books and magazines for programming project ideas

Basic Computer Games books (pdf form) – great ideas for beginner programming projects.

Roundup of Programming Environments, Computer Science, and Physical Computing

What’s New: New micro:bit! TurtleArt on the Web! MakeCode updates! microBlocks is ready for its close-up! Exciting Snap! news!…  Click here for a round-up the latest news, opportunities, and learning environments for you and your students.

Turtle Art on the web

Turtle Art materials

Logo activities

These activities designed for MicroWorlds EX should be applicable to other programming environments, like Turtle Art, Scratch, Snap!, and especially Lynx. If you translate any of these activities for other languages, please let me know!

Snap!

Block-based programming research

Wolfram Resources

Resources related to Conrad and Stephen Wolfram’s work on math, computation, and programming

Programming Slides

(Click to download)

reasons to program

Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity

  • DIYAbility – “Where MacGyver meets Assistive Technology” Projects, workshops and resources on making and hacking for children with disabilities.
  • Making and ELL – Encouraging Conversational Confidence
  • Girls in Tech – By Sylvia Martinez for Intel Australia. A free guide about how maker education can support equity for girls in STEM.
  • Tinkering Spaces: How Equity Means More Than Access – Interviews with several educators working to provide equitable access to makerspaces to youth.
  • Making Culture – An examination of K-12 education makerspaces nationwide from the ExCITe Center’s Learning Innovation initiative at Drexel School of Education. The report reveals the significance of cultural aspects of making (student interests, real world relevance, and community collaboration) that enable learning. The research highlights how makerspaces foster a range of positive student learning outcomes, but also reflects some of the gaps in inclusion common in STEM courses and careers. 
  • Recontextualizing the Makerspace: Culturally Responsive Education – Nettrice Gaskins argues for a redefinition of technology and technological processes that include engagements by groups underrepresented in the DIY/makerspace/hacker culture movement.
  • On Equity Issues in the Maker Movement, and Implications for Making and Learning – Rafi Santo addresses the serious equity issues found in the maker movement and provides links to many organizations working to provide more equitable making experiences.

Girls and STEM

Parents & Families

About Gary & Sylvia

Veteran educator Gary Stager, Ph.D. is co-author of Invent To Learn — Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom, publisher at Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, and the founder of the Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute. He led professional development in the world’s first 1:1 laptop schools thirty years ago and designed one of the oldest online graduate school programs. Gary began defending school music programs from the wrecking ball in 1982. Learn more about Gary or contact him here.

Sylvia Martinez is the co-author of Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering the Classroom, known around the world as the “bible of the classroom maker movement.” She advocates for student-centered hands-on, minds-on learning with an emphasis on STEAM for all. She is president of CMK Futures, creating books and professional development to help educators invent the future of learning.

Sylvia is also principal advisor to the Columbia University FabLearn Fellows, a research group of global educators sharing hands-on, minds-on projects and curriculum. She also led educational non-profits and headed product development for consumer software, video games, and educational games at several software publishing companies.

Martinez started her career as an electrical engineer designing high frequency receiver systems and software for the GPS navigational satellite system. She holds a masters in educational technology and a bachelors in electrical engineering.