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On episode 14, we discuss an accessible hacker space model for innovation and education at Sector67 in Madison, WI. Panelists address questions including:
- What is Sector67, and what is a hacker space?
- How are the folks in this and other hacker spaces contributing to technical education?
- How did Sector67 converge on this unique format for teaching classes to the public?
- What have these hackers learned about teaching people technical things?
- What can educators and computational scientists learn about educating and innovating from this space?
- Where does this teaching paradigm fit into an engineering education landscape?
On today’s show inscightful panelists include:
- Katy Huff (moderator)
- Joe Kerman
- Chris Meyer
- Benjamin Stein
Joe Kerman is an active member of Sector67 in Madison, Wisconsin and has a background in network administration. He ran a local internet service provider for twelve years and now, while in search of a new career he promotes, supports, and takes advantage of the resources at Sector67.
Chris Meyer is the founder of Sector67 in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a recent Masters graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mechanical Engineering program and kickstarted the Sector67 hacker space with prize and grant money he garnered as a student.
Benjamin Stein is a PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is devoted to the improvement of STEM education, tutoring weekly at a local elementary school and participating actively in the Delta program for teaching and learning at UW-Madison.
Intro/Outro Music: ‘Rococo’ – Arcade Fire
Posted in: Episode
Anthony Scopatz
2011/05/28
I’d like to rant a little here myself. But first let me say that I love hackerspaces and think they are an excellent idea!
After listening to episode, it became clear that the niche that hackerspaces fill is that of the now (mostly non-existent) vocational schools. Perhaps the problem with the ‘Traditional Academic System’ is not the methodology of formal education, but its application to an unprecedented percentage of the population.
Mostly people don’t need academics; most people need something more substantial and real like the hackerspace. Perhaps the formalism should be reserved for people who A) can pick up the hands-on stuff on their own on the side, B) synthesize applications from an abstract model on their own, or C) are only interested in pure formalism.
Maybe universities shouldn’t be expected to teach real-world skills. It isn’t what they are good at, it isn’t something they are interested in, and it wastes a bunch of money.
If this all seems heretical, I could dig up some references to support the claim that spending 4 years in a hackerspace is more useful than a college education for 50+% of people.