The Third Place/Space & 3 Connections - Part 3
This is the final post in a series of 3 discussion points from October 2016. Over the past 3 months I've talked about the concept of Mind's Eye and Bloom's Taxonomy as they relate to the process of making. The first was about the personal understanding of making and visualizing. In the process of making one can develop a way of conceptualizing as well as communicating ideas. This is necessary as technology moves into 3D fabrication and 3D virtual world design. The second topic expanded into Design Thinking and the Scientific Method. Once the basic visualization tools are acquired, one moves into sorting and understanding the use. Much of this happens through experimentation, or “just playing around.”
To wrap up this discussion, we can now move out to the edge, which is the topic of “Third Space / Third Place.” The term Third Space, which was coined by Ray Oldenburg in his book, The Great Good Place.
“The examples set by societies that have solved the problem of place and those set by the small towns and vital neighborhoods of our past suggest that daily life, in order to be relaxed and fulfilling, must find its balance in three realms of experience. One is domestic, a second is gainful or productive, and the third is inclusively sociable, offering both the basis of community and the celebration of it. Each of these realms of human experience is built on associations and relationships appropriate to it; each has its own physically separate and distinct places; each must have its measure of autonomy from the others.” (Oldenburg, The Great Good Place, p.14-15)
It has been used by Robert Putnam quite a few times in his writings and lectures. These associations and relationships that Oldenburg describes are the social capital that Putnam draws out in his book, Bowling Alone. Both authors are looking at what is essential in fostering community.
This is where I find the link to making. In a Makerspace, the physical place becomes a THIRD PLACE. Here students find a neutral zone that is not HOME (domestic) and is not SCHOOL (gainful / productive.) It is a place that they congregate, mashing up similar, but different interests. I find it interesting that educators have not connected these concepts. In experiential learning, it is ideal because a level of comfort is provided for really unique learning. The kind that allows for my favorite quote, by Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame, "failure is always an option."
On group that is close, is the Wisconsin Distributed Hacker/Maker Network (DHMN). While this group operates at the city space level, they do talk about makerspaces in their August 27 blog article, Hacking City Spaces: A Third Place On The Fourth Floor. These could also include Incubators, DHives, FabLabs, Hackerspaces, Community Innovation Labs, really any place that allows for Oldenburg's third space 8 Characteristics.
Neutral ground
Leveler (a leveling place)
Conversation is main activity
Accessibility and accommodation
The regulars
The regulars
The mood is playful
A home away from home
Think back to your school years. How was your school day spent? Do you remember a Third Place? A colleague of mine recalled his Third Place as being the Band Room. It was a place where he could go and hang out in between classes. He never really thought about the function of the place as it "just was." I had a similar recollection in remember the Drafting Lab that I was able to go to during Study Hall, Free Period, or after school. There was a sense of belonging and community that was different than at home or in a regular classroom. Looking back, I think it was a place that allowed a teen in transition to adulthood a place to be adult-like / grownup.
NOTE: Another great reference for Third Places is an article from Business Interiors about the death of the Traditional Workplace, Flexible Working & The Third Place - R.I.P. the Traditional Workplace.)
STEAM Making @ Camp Curtin Academy Middle School
SCIENCE:
Trout in the Classroom
The trout in Ms. Estright's class are now in the Fry stage. They are fairly active and the students continue to monitor pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels in the tank. The levels are checked every two days and the students assess the operations of filter and chiller to make sure the tank is healthy. The trout will continue to grow over the month of February and we'll be planning a date for release in the Yellow Breeches near Messiah College.
TECHNOLOGY:
Robotics Club
During January the Robotics Club was on break. We are planning to start again in February, where we'll have monthly workshops that connect to Design, Build, and Program. Any interested students are encouraged to support the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge PA State Championship Tournament on Saturday, February 25 2017
ARTS:
AV Studio Morning Broadcasting
The AV Crew for the Camp Curtin News Network is continuing to develop their skills. The group is now helping to film school events such as the Monthly Sports Challenge and a Mannequin Challenge. Twice in January some of the student members had the privilege to help in the filming of PA Treasurer Joseph Torsella. Treasurer Torsella was sworn in at Camp Curtin Academy Middle School on Tuesday, January 17th. Prior to that event, the AV Studio was used to record messages to the students to use in the Morning Broadcast. During the spring Ms. Monaghan will be working with the students to do interviews with staff and teachers. They will also be planning field trips to local broadcasting studios.
COMMUNITY:
MLK Jr. Day of Service
On Monday, January 16th about 10 women and their families from the United Way of the Capital Region Women's Leadership Network volunteered to serve at Camp Curtin Academy. The group helped to clean up the school's Library and Teacher Resource Room. The tasks involved were archiving / decommissioning books, organizing classroom teaching packets and re-genre-fying all of the books on the bookshelves. These were large tasks that in the end might not be a visible change, but it made the lives of the Librarian, Ms. Rachel Reichenbach, and her Librarian Assistant, Jasamine Childs much easier. It also provided teachers and students with easier access to written materials.
THANKS AGAIN TO THE UWCR VOLUNTEERS AT CCA!!!!
STEAM Making @ SciTech High School
TECHNOLOGY:
Scibots Robotics Team
The month of January was extremely busy for the SciBots Team. On Saturday, January 7th, they competed in Oxford, PA, placing 17th (3283) and 28th (3305) out of 35 teams. On Saturday, January 21st, they completed at Penn State Extension in York, PA, placing 22nd (3283) and 23rd (3305.) While they did not place high enough to make it to the State Championship Tournament, they will be at the event promoting the Robotics Club at SciTech. Hopefully you will join the group on Saturday, February 25th at 10:45. You will be able to see their robots in action and talk to students about their design process for the robots. Pennsylvania State FTC Championship will be held locally at John Harris High School.
If you wish to volunteer to help with that competition, please visit this FTC LINK.
COMMUNITY:
MLK Jr. Day of Service
On Monday, January 16th about 20 women from the United Way of the Capital Region Women's Leadership Network volunteered for the SciTech STEAM Cafe build at SciTech. These women along with others from the school and community helped to construct tables, chairs, pallet seating, and a pallet stage for the school community. The area will be used for weekly open mic nights as well as future TEDxClub talks and student presentations at the school. Thanks to the generous monetary donation from the Women's Leadership Network, the school was able to furnish the space. This project was conceived by Sunada Roberts, who is a Science Teacher at the school.
THANKS AGAIN TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE UWCR VOLUNTEERS AT SCITECH!!!!
SciTech STEAM Cafe
