Presentation for Virginia Children's Engineering Conference 2015 -- Makerspaces in Special Education by Meg Swecker, Jessic McClung, Patricia Gentry, and Tina Coffey; Roanoke County Schools

1. Making Makerspaces Matter:
Design Thinking for All Learners

2. MakerSpaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create,
invent, and learn. They often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and
hardware supplies and tools, and more.

3. • Little Bits
• Cubelets
• Spheros
• Puff Ball Lancher
Centers
• Makey Makey
• Squishy Circuits
• Q-ba Maze

4. Elementary Program
• Focused on students in co-taught
classes
• Small group of students in a social
skills group
• Expanded to integrated classrooms,
FACES program, and MakerMondays
(afterschool program)
Target Students
Middle School Program
• Focused on students in self-contained
classes

6. Elementary: Started with pull-out and two co-taught classes

9. Introduction to Geo-Caching

10. Elementary FACES Program

11. Focus: Maker Activities
Expanding Elementary Program: Integrated Classes

12. 3D Printed Explorer Symbol Cookie Cutters
www.cookiecaster.com
Group Projects

13. Use Your sketch and clay to create an
object that would help the
Littles through the Dark Woods

15. Time to Feed The Littles!!

16. MakerMondays
• 6 weeks
• 2-5th Graders
• Goal: Develop Mentors
for Summer Program

17. MakerMondays

18. Where we are going…
Elementary Program
• Faculty Training for ALL Teachers
• Continued Programs During
School Day
• Expanding to more schools
• More After-School Programs
• K-1 Students
• One Day Workshops
• Summer Program
Middle Program
• Explore more tools
• Littlebits, E-Textiles, Cubelets, 3D
Printer
• Summer Program
• Hope for separate space

19. Tina Coffey
Instructional Technology Resource Teacher
Roanoke County Schools
Email: tcoffey@rcs.k12.va.us
Jessica McClung
Director of Special Education and Pupil
Personnel Services
Roanoke County Schools
Email: jmmclung@rcs.k12.va.us
Patricia Gentry
Special Education Teacher
Roanoke County Schools
Email: pgentry@rcs.k12.va.us
Meg Swecker
Coordinator of Technology Integration
Roanoke County Schools
Email: mswecker@rcs.k12.va.us
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