Maker Educator Convening

Focusing on the challenges of assessments in informal learning settings, this workshop will engage participants in using newly developed assessment/evaluation tools with a hands-on maker activity. The hands-on workshop will take place in three parts: First, some participants will engage in a maker activity while others will use the first assessment tool. Then, some participants will engage in a maker activity while others will use the second assessment tool. To close, all participants will debrief their experiences, comparing the different foci of the tools and how they might be useful and/or adapted in their own settings. The first tool was developed with the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library for librarians, which incorporates the needs and goals of the diverse participants that engage in library makerspaces. The second tool has been co-designed and tested with museum and library educators from four different institutions in both rural and urban areas.