Creativity Civic Engagement Critical Making
Makerspaces provide tools, resources and expertise for informal learning through hands on guided or self-initiated activities. They support students, teachers, parents and the wider community in exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) through creativity or more importantly, STEAM, i.e. the integration of art.
Technology is to be regarded in the broadest sense; from paper and fabrics to coding and micro-controllers. What binds all of these technologies is their creative potential. Creative uses of technologies has been an interest and part of my creative practice for many years, and has been shown in recent NSF Funded Research that “the results confirm what so many education experts believed: STEAM or in this case, Art Based Learning of STEM works and works beyond expectation.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-m-eger/arts-based-learning-of-st_b_8724148.html
I have run custom STEAM (e.g. Arduino, Scratch, etc) courses and makerspace workshops for Victoria University, Victoria Polytechnic, La Trobe University, Footscray Community Arts Centre, St Stephens Primary School, CELS P-12 Schools in Collingwood, Broadmeadows and Craigieburn and more and have provided Professional Learning and consultancy to primary and high school teachers. I have also been interviewed on many occasions for the EU Makey Research Project, https://makeyproject.wordpress.com/2017/04/13/making-in-melbourne/ and authored several papers on Makerspaces for international journals. In 2017, I chaired a a panel on Makerspaces at the Hong Kong ISEA conference, and organised a panel on Makerspaces at the Public Pedagogy conference.
In 2015, I undertook international research and produced this report: Digital Technologies, Education and Creativity: Greg Giannis Fellowship Report
I am currently teaching in the School of Education at La Trobe University and running Makerspaces at P-12 schools across Melbourne since 2016.
Please contact for any enquiries: giannis.greg@mailbox.org.
I enjoy travel, so competitive rates are on offer for my time if the course is somewhere sunny or interesting!
dr greg giannis – https://au.linkedin.com/in/greg-giannis-87561810
Hello,
I am a producer on The Feed on SBS TV and I’m doing a stoty on the Maker Movement in Australia – could you please get in touch with me about this? My number is xxxxxxxx
Thanks so much,
Rani Chaleyer
Hi Greg,
Thank you very much for your message – it was passed on to me! I’d be delighted to visit your makerspace in Collingwood. I don’t have your email address, but you can contact me at flscott1@sheffield.ac.uk
I will be in Melbourne throughout September and October!
With best wishes,
Fiona