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

[Florencia Edwards]

What was your bad experience Nils?

Randy libraries , that's the best! I think libraries are the ancestors of
 hackerspaces


2013/10/16 Nils Hitze <nhitze at gmail.com>

> 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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