Spark 2015
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Spark! is a one-day festival focused on innovative digital education, aimed at teachers and young people facing challenges in learning. The event includes a parade of makers, interactive workshops, and a panel debate addressing coding in education, showcasing collaboration among educators, entrepreneurs, and families. The initiative seeks to inspire new ideas and foster community growth in digital learning, with ongoing support and development planned for future festivals.
Spark 2015
- 1. SPARK! A one day festival of ideas, sparking new ways to learn through digital innovation. An introduction for partners. Created by: Supported by:
- 2. Innovation in digital education moves too fast for school timetables. A PROBLEM WORTH SOLVING.
- 3. It’s hardest on teachers who care but face time and budget challenges. TEACHERS ARE BRILLIANT AND NEED MORE SUPPORT.
- 4. It offers an awesome opportunity for young people and society. OUR CALL TO ADVENTURE.
- 5. SPARK is a festival of ideas to find new ways to unleash potential. THE PURPOSE IS TO SPARK ACTION. IT’S DESIGNED FOR DOERS. IT’S FOR BUILDING NEW IDEAS* *£5k of support for the best idea IT’S FOR PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IT’S HARD, FUN AND REWARDING.
- 6. So what is SPARK? • A one-day festival of ideas, sparking new ways to learn through digital innovation. • PARADE OF MAKERS • Families and school groups can take a journey through the Parade of Makers, where they will be able to 3D print, code and make robots; build apps, websites and games; turn everyday objects into musical instruments and make flashing art with electric paint. • Makers include BlockBuilders, MakerClub, Ready Salted Code, Technology Will Save Us. • 200 tickets will be free for families. • 1st September 2015, the first day of Brighton Digital Festival • The Clarendon Centre, Brighton, BN1 4GQ • WORKSHOPS • At the heart of SPARK are a series of workshops that bring together teachers, entrepreneurs, employers and young people, to find new ways to teach new skills. In 2014 workshops ran on computational thinking, the skills gap, maker communities and rewilding. • Last year’s attendees included Barclays, SKY, BBC, Brighton Uni and Brandwatch. • Participation is by nomination/invitation. • Check out our short film of last year’s pilot festival.
- 7. What does the the day look like? Running order 09.30 – 10.00 Get coffee and get connecting 10.00 – 10.05 Welcome to SPARK Brighton 10.05 – 10.20 The Big Tech Summer Awards – 3D printing medals for the most inspiring projects 10.30 – 12.30 Workshops - session 1: Vision, Mapping and Identifying Solutions 10.30 – 12.30 Parade of Makers – session 1 13.00 – 13.50 Lunch Coping with Coding panel debate - one year on the curriculum, how are schools doing? 14.00 – 16.00 Workshops - session 2: Prioritising and Developing roadmaps for Solutions 14.00 – 16.00 Parade of Makers – session 2 16.30 – 16.50 Workshops - group presentations 16.50 – 17.00 Closing remarks 17.30 Networking in Al Campo Lounge, London Road
- 8. THE AWARDS To celebrate the culmination of MakerClub’s first Big Tech Summer Over 60 summer events in six week to get kids in Brighton crafting, coding, making, designing, building, fixing and inventing.
- 9. THE PANEL DEBATE: One year on the curriculum, are schools coping with coding? “We’re not just trying to encourage people to become developers. We’re trying to encourage children to become creative”. “If you teach computing and do it right, you can help children develop their learning in literacy and numeracy,” “At primary level, it helps children to be articulate and think logically.” “Whether we're fighting climate change or going to space, everything is moved forward by computers, and we don't have enough people who can code”. “Learning to code gives you a completely new perspective when you look at a computer. Before, you think of it as an appliance -- like a fridge -- accepting what it can do. After, you know that you can code that computer to do anything you can imagine it doing. That's a massive change ... and a massive challenge!” “Along with reading and writing, the ability to code is going to define what an educated person is”. “Learning to code at a young age opened my eyes to the incredibly exciting world of technology and entrepreneurship”. “Our national competitiveness depends upon our ability to educate our children—and that includes our girls—in this critical field”.
- 10. What do the workshops look like? Making Makers Mind the Gap Serious Play Rewilding Level Up Computational Thinking How to inspire the next generation? How to join the dots between school and work? How to get more gender diversity in coding and making? How to inspire teachers to become digital earners? How to combine the best of tech and nature? How to create more inspired problem solving? Workshops are pop-up communities of 8-10 people - a mix of learners, businesses, entrepreneurs and teachers - who are directed by co-chairs and supported by facilitators. Their task is to come up with new ideas.
- 11. Why is it different? Rewilding Brighton & Hove – a coalition that continues to meet with the aim of securing a city-wide strategy and new brand support. The festival is designed to bring new people together to create ways making stuff happen. MakerLab – a crowd funded digital educational space on London Road in Brighton, dedicated to learning technology and exploring creativity. Collide – a 17 week traineeship in communications resulting in a pitch showcase, for 10 unemployed 16 to 19 year olds starting Sept 2015. • Check out our short film of last year’s pilot festival. Three outcomes of SPARK 2014:
- 12. How did people feel about it in 2014?* “Would you pass on to the other organisers what a brilliantly run and pitched event I found this to be. Really privileged to be part of it - a genuine learning experience”. “Great to meet you yesterday and thanks for such great day - so many interesting people and ideas. I thought the format for the day was really inspired - there was a great pace and range of interactions which meant that although it was tiring there wasn't a loss of engagement at any point”. “I'd love to be a part of an on-going process of collaboration and creative thinking. How great to have this initiative so close to home. Thanks again for putting on such a great event with Guy. I believe it had real value and I look forward to seeing the outcomes from it. Well done team, it was a really good event, thanks for letting me come along.” “I emailed Simon to say how incredibly impressed I was with the event. I need to meet with you all further to discuss aspects arising from this. You were brilliant in hosting it with such energy, commitment and focus. Such a privilege for me to be involved. I really feel at home with you all and the work you are doing. I’ll be in touch about meeting up and sorry I could only commit the morning to this”. “You held the day especially well - with a great combination of humility and rigorous thinking.” *unsolicited emails post event. “Thanks for a great day yesterday - what a treat to be part of something so inspiring and so local! You gathered a really great bunch of people together and shaped a day that stimulated some very interesting ideas - I don't think I've had to think that hard in ages. Good luck with unravelling it all!”
- 13. SPARK is a not for profit endeavour and we want to build a team of likeminded doers, from within big business to local schools, who can help grow as many good ideas about digital education as possible. If that’s you, get in touch: declan@makerclub.org or charlotte@longrun.works We’d love to hear from you. Come and join us help grow the good in digital education.
- 14. How did people feel about it? Beyond 2015: Our ambition is to help more cities find local solutions by using SPARK. We’re developing our brand, model and partnerships for scale.
- 15. SPARK! MakerClub makes 3D printed robotics to teach kids to programme – makerclub.org Long Run Works makes stories that grow good ideas – longrun.works Created by: Supported by: