workshops

Workshops - background

facilities for workshops: here

I experimented a lot with workshops lately and asked myself and the participants:

-What makes a workshop a good workshop?

-Who wants to attend the workshops?

-Which themes or topics do we want to cover?

This is the list of workshops i organised.

Upcoming workshops (under preparation, starting around september - october 2017): here

About the workshops:

I divided the workshop concepts into (overlapping) groups, mostly to get a better understanding how they work and can be organized.

-1 Technical workshops:

At Fablab Enschede most workshops were instructive or demonstrations: how to use the 3D printer, lasercutter, what means digitalisation for companies. This has it's own merits. Learn how to use a tool, get more insight in a process.

-2 Childrens workshops

Technical workshops as such do not deliver for children. They are often much more interested in many other things such as doing things together, tinkering and have other driving interests than hard core technology or science. Childrens workshops can offer discovery in an open, friendly atmosphere with enough place for other idea's.

With the home schooling group, in Enschede with Lilia Efimova, we held many workshops where we explored another concept: working together with various age and knowledge levels. This led to a different structure in the workshops and a different concept of it's goal.

-3. Combined age- workshops

I learned: an interesting opportunity is combining various ages, adults and children in a workshop which is set up thematically and offers much regarding cooperation, learning from each other, social skills.

-4 Maker workshops; working with your heart, hands and head

The maker workshops will benefit from the vision that making workshops are not only about technicall skills, exploring and creativity. By understanding that making is also form of communication as well the door is opened to the not so neardy, not so technically gifted tinkerer.

It opens the door to fullfill the promise of "everybody is a maker" instead of limiting to making technicians.

Technical workshops, group no 1, however, and Toko's (maker meetups around a subject) are still possible and will be appreciated by many makers and artists: lasercutting textiles with fashion designers, 3D routing with sculptors and music instrument makers, welding class, introduction to CAD drawing skills and 3D printing design skills.

These workshops, when set up carefully, can be very rewarding for many different groups.

- 5 Theater workshops, professionally aimed.

I gave several ones, mostly about stage design and setbuilding. Still asked for, and it involves usually a creative workshop with emphasis on how to make it, what does the set / shape / prop bring to the actor (understanding theatrical use), where to find new ideas and much hands on and discovery.

Thanks to:

A lot of different workshops and many persons contributed to this knowledge, here is the list of workshops

I would like to thank the home teaching children and parents and especially Lilia Efimova for working together with me