2026
Ohio Edtech Conference
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aker Spaces Without Walls (WOW )
How do we reimagine makerspaces when space, budgets, and devices are limited? Maker SpacesWOW (Without Walls) invites educators to break down barriers and discover how purposeful technology use can bring STEAM learning to life on any device. This interactive session models how teachers can reboot hands-on learning by transforming everyday classrooms into virtual makerspaces that fuel creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Participants will engage in a rapid design sprint using empathy, iteration, and feedback, experiencing low-floor/high-ceiling STEAM challenges that work seamlessly on Chromebooks, laptops, or tablets. Key platforms—Makers Empire, Qweebi, Microsoft MakeCode, and Tinkercad (Codeblocks, Sim Lab, Circuits)—will be used to show how students can design, build, and share ideas, even without printers or dedicated labs. You’ll shift from the learner lens to the teacher lens, exploring strategies for adapting makerspace projects to different grade levels, class periods, and subject areas—including integrations with math, science, ELA, and SEL. The workshop highlights Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equity-centered practices for multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and under-resourced schools. Audience: K–8 teachers, media/library specialists, instructional coaches, administrators, tech directors. Tools: Makers Empire, Qweebi, Microsoft MakeCode, Tinkercad (Codeblocks, Sim Lab, Circuits), editable lesson templates, rubrics, empathy maps. Take-aways:
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Design, Print, Inspire: Boosting Spatial Reasoning and Creativity in the Classroom.
What if closing STEM gaps and sparking creativity didn’t require more drills, but reimagining learning with design thinking and 3D design? This interactive workshop is for K–8 teachers, tech coaches, media specialists, and anyone seeking practical, inclusive ways to build spatial reasoning and creative confidence across the curriculum. Discover how tools like Makers Empire make 3D design accessible on Chromebooks, laptops, or tablets, with or without a 3D printer. A 3D printer will be onsite, allowing participants to walk through the full design-to-print process—from digital modeling to slicing, setting up the printer, and actually printing a model. Hands-on mini-challenges will guide you through design thinking, digital prototyping, and troubleshooting, all using workflows you can replicate with your own students. You’ll experience every step: “design → check → slice → print or share → reflect,” and practice using print-check rubrics, UDL-friendly strategies, and peer feedback that support all students—including multilingual learners and those with special needs. The session also highlights classroom routines, time-saving management tips, and project ideas for low-resource settings, along with strategies for integrating 3D design into math, science, ELA, and SEL. Evidence from current research and real classrooms will be shared, showing how 3D design builds spatial reasoning, creativity, and student motivation. Tools:
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Fall 2025
https://vita-learn.org/vermontfest/schedule/
* Email [email protected] 🌍From Ideas to Impact: Virtual STEAM Tools for Student Innovators Explore how browser-based tools like Makers Empire, Qweebi, Tinkercad, and MakeCode enable equitable access to design, engineering, and coding—even in classrooms without traditional makerspace supplies. ️✨ Design, Print, Inspire — Bringing 3D Printing into Any Classroom Learn how to implement 3D design and printing from start to finish using Makers Empire and FlashForge printers, with strategies that align to core curriculum and engage learners across subjects. 🚀Pitch It with Purpose: Launching Student Innovation through Design Challenges Discover how to run school-wide or classroom innovation competitions that foster student voice, critical thinking, and real-world problem solving. |
Makerspaces Without Walls (MakerspacesWOW)
November 5, 2025 7:00 AM-8:00 AMET Link to session Equity, Inclusion, and Student Empowerment What if every student had access to a makerspace—without needing a single supply? This 30-minute session invites K–12 educators to reimagine STEAM education using virtual makerspaces—low-cost, high-impact platforms that empower students to build, code, and create from anywhere. Whether you’re in a high-tech lab or a one-device classroom, you’ll explore how tools like Tinkercad, Makers Empire, Qweebi, and MakeCode make inclusive, hands-on design accessible to all learners. STEAM educator Kimberly Curran Smith will share real classroom examples, equity-centered strategies, and ready-to-use project ideas that support creativity, collaboration, and computational thinking—without the usual barriers of cost, materials, or space. Leave inspired and equipped with the tools to bring design thinking and engineering into any classroom—no matter your budget or background. It’s not just a possibility—it’s a movement you can join today. |
Summer 2025
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 8:00 AM – 9:20 AM TCEA - ETC 25 Conference , Galveston, TX Virtual Makerspaces: Igniting Equitable STEAM Access for All Location:Galleon III |
Sunday, June 29, 2025, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ISTE 25 Conference, San Antonio, TX Virtual Makerspaces: No Mess, Big Impact! Make Art POP with AR & Design and Compete in Roller Coaster Make & Take Playground:Table G |
Tuesday July 8, 2025, 10: AM --1:00PM CSTA Conference, Cleveland, OH Inclusive Computer Science in 3D with Tinkercad Codeblocks and Circuits Location 15 |
Monday August 4, 2025 :45 AM - 11:30 AM CSTANJ CSPD Week TCNJ, Ewing, NJ Spark Innovation In your Classroom with Tinkercad, Codeblocks, Circuits & 3D Printing |
Tuesday August 12, 2025 AI in EDU Summit:Leading the Vanguard of Transformation at Gateway Regional High School, NJ. AI Design Thinking Meets AI: Empowering Creativity and Student Voice Through Prompt Engineering |
