Fablearn Stanford 2017 is happy to announce two conference keynotes: Mike Eisenberg and Kylie Peppler
Prof. Michael Eisenberg, University of Colorado-Boulder
Self-Made: The Body as Frontier for the Maker Movement in Education
A variety of technologies–exciting, troubling, controversial–are emerging for the purposes of extending or augmenting the biological capabilities of human beings. These technologies include (among others) sensory augmentation devices, brain-machine interfaces, robotic exoskeletons or prostheses, and genetic therapies; in every case, the intent of the technology is to allow people to perform activities beyond the traditional boundaries of body, mind, and genome.
In some cases, the pioneers of these technologies have been (usually young) makers and hobbyists. The explorations of these young people augur new and difficult questions for the education community. What body- and mind-changing artifacts could, or should, be available to children and teenagers? To what extent – whether for educational or social purposes – will, or should, democratized “making” apply to the physical and cognitive limitations of the maker? This talk will explore some plausible future pathways for the “educational maker movement” in the light of this imminent development in technology.
Bio
Mike Eisenberg is a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He and his wife Ann Eisenberg together direct the Craft Technology Lab at CU Boulder; the lab’s research focuses on blending the most fruitful traditions of children’s crafts with the affordances of new technologies. He co-edited (with Yasmin Kafai, Leah Buechley, and Kylie Peppler) the book Textile Messages, and has authored both a programming textbook (Programming in Scheme) and a published play (Hackers). He is a member of the President’s Teaching Scholars at CU, and has been the recipient of several teaching awards from the university.
Prof. Kylie Peppler, Indiana University
Disruptive Potential of the Arts in Making
When arts are privileged in the making process, new understandings, tools and artifacts emerge at this disruptive nexus that transcend both arts- and STEM-based learning. The infusion of the arts into making that we’ve traditionally considered STEM is resulting in the emergence of tools and communities that not only engender new content understandings but also invite participation from populations historically underrepresented in robotics and computing. Drawing on over a decade of research at the intersection of the arts, creativity, and new technologies from the Creativity Labs at Indiana University, this presentation theorizes the learning that takes place at effective couplings of STEAM to assist today’s educators in realizing the potential for transformative experiences for learners of all levels. This talk theorizes two compelling cases of STEAM-based tools, materials, and activities, and conceptually outlines an approach to “gathering STEAM” in making environments.
Bio
Dr. Kylie Peppler is an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and the Director of the Creativity Labs at Indiana University. An artist by training, Dr. Peppler engages in research that focuses on the intersection of arts, computational technologies and interest-driven learning. Dr. Peppler is also the Chief Learning Officer at Collective Shift/LRNG, the lead of the MacArthur Foundation’s Make-to-Learn initiative, an advisor to the Connected Learning Research Network, and a member of the 2016 and 2017 National Educational Technology Plan Committee. Dr. Peppler is the recipient of several recent awards, including 2016 Mira Tech Educator of the Year and an NSF Early CAREER recipient, as well as grants from the Spencer Foundation, Moore Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation, among others. Recent publications include the Routledge Makeology series as well as the Sage Encyclopedia of Out-of-School Learning.
