[hackerspaces] Is making alliances with education institutions good for a hacekrspace?

Wed Oct 16 21:28:30 CEST 2013

If you're uncomfortable working with the organization directly, perhaps
work with the individuals in that organization who most align with your
goals and ideals? If the school system itself is bad, maybe try to just
deal with (some of) the educators themselves primarily, and then the system
secondarily. The system has incentive to help their educators.

In the dealings we've had with other organizations at MakerBar, that has
worked well. We've also been careful not to give up too much control over
what we do and how we do it though. In the ideal situation, both
organizations have the same goal (education) and are partnering to make
each others lives easier, not harder. If that's not the case, I'd back away
quickly.

On Wed, Oct 16, 2013 at 3:06 PM, Randall G. Arnold <
randall.arnold at texrat.net> wrote:

> **
>  Great examples, Nils!
>
>  In our case we are partnering with a local library to put on classes that
> are fun and educational.  The LOVE us there (and are asking us to setup a
> library makerspace in an unused area).  We're just waiting for word to get
> and out and become victims of our own success. :-O
>
>  What you describe is the sort of thing that fills a community need and at
> some pointscould get traditional educational institutions to thinking.
>
>  Randy
>
>
> On October 16, 2013 at 1:57 PM Nils Hitze <nhitze at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  Yeah! Nice discussion, i like it. Since i had my bad and good experiences
> so far i'd like to share my good ones first. This weekend i was at
> Bookfaire Frankfurt, where the university of Stockholm had organised the
> "Classroom of the Future" to which they've invited me to talk about Maker &
> 3dPrinting. I've used the opportunity to show kids/parents that learning
> doesn't stops at the Schooldoor nor when you're out of school and also to
> evangelize Robohand, Maker Faires, Hackerspaces and FabLabs.
>
>  After that we've talked about the future of education a lot.
>
>  we.learn.it aims to bundle european schools into a network and send
> around mobile we.learn.it labs, which is something i'd like to bind to
> local Hacker/MakerSpaces and Fablabs, so students learn that there is such
> a thing as a Hackerspace and Hackers learn that they need to open their
> mind to new influences and people that normally might not have visited a
> HSpace in the first place. Win Win. At least imho
>
>  Nils Hitze
>
> Email: nhitze at gmail.com
> Mobil: +49 179 9429701
>
> Blog:  silberkind.de <http://www.silberkind.de>
> G+: silberkind.de/+
> Twitter:  @kojote <http://twitter.com/kojote>
>
>
>  2013/10/16 Randall G. Arnold <randall.arnold at texrat.net>
>
>   I would start by putting together a good, fact-based case for them to
> *consider* changing their stance.  A one-page whitepaper listing the
> strengths of hackerspaces and how they're successful in large part due to
> AVOIDING heavy-handed impositions.  I would also focus on liaison with
> specific individuals and departments that are already open to the ideas.
> Make it a bottom-up, grassroots culture change initiative.  And even if the
> university as an institution refuses to change its stance, I'm betting you
> will still be able to find those select individuals/departments that will
> work with you as a partner.
>
>  Randy
>
>
> On October 16, 2013 at 1:44 PM Florencia Edwards < floev22 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>  Thanks Randall, you are right. I live in Santiago, Chile, Southamerica,
> and the education system is very tough here, it's awful. So I would never
> consider good to be ally with an institution like that... But I guess
> people can change
>
>
>  2013/10/16 Randall G. Arnold <randall.arnold at texrat.net>
>
>   Florencia,
>
>  Tarrant Makers is also exploring alliances with local traditional
> educational institutions.  I disagree with the broad contention that "an
> alliance only makes this institutions try to use the hackerspace their
> way".  That may be true in some cases but I don't think it's a given.
>
>  In our case, the first university we approached recognized that they are
> hidebound by many bureaucratic limitations and they welcome our combination
> of expertise and freedom.  Instead of imposing on us, they are asking us to
> act with them in ways that they cannot, and supplement their offerings.
>
>  And so what if they *try* to impose?  If that happened to us we would
> politely refuse and step back, making clear that behavior won't serve
> either of our purposes.  I would think that any institution that wants to
> partner with a makerspace/hackerspace has at least some idea of what's
> involved and expected, and any that tries to force their will has no clue
> and makes a poor partner to say the least.  I would wait for them to get
> their stuff together before trying again.
>
>  Randy
>  Tarrant Makers, founder and director
>
>
> On October 16, 2013 at 12:52 PM Florencia Edwards < floev22 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>  I wanted to ask you what you guys think about this. At our hackerspace
> people who manage it are trying to make some strategic alliances with
> universities, schools, culture centers... But I think it's not good. A
> hackerspace is an alternative to this institutions and methods of
> education. Making an alliance only makes this institutions try to use the
> hackerspace their way (they have more power), trying to preasure us to
> adapt to their methods of education, what their students need, special
> workshops... I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, . I love everyone to know about
> a makerspace or hackerspace and to come here to explore, but this
> institutions have a way of imposing or forcing things...
>
>  Do any of you have experience with school or collages, are they good? Can
> you give me some advice?
>
>  Cheers all
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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