Makey Makey and Spaces for Creative Learning

Abstract: 

In this 5-minute Spark presentation, I will overview the Makey-Makey invention kit and briefly describe how and why it can be used in a classroom setting. I will describe a project in an instrumental music classroom where this was integrated and the thought process behind the technological integration. The Makey-Makey is a small circuit board that connects to your computer through a USB cable and allows the user to turn almost anything into a proxy for a computer key. By connecting anything that conducts electricity to the Makey-Makey via alligator clips, you can use everyday items to play music, games, or engage in a variety of other computer based activities. Makey-Makey opens up a world of exploration that is quickly and easily accessible to teachers and students. In this presentation, I will discuss the Makey-Makey in general as well as specifically how utilizing the Makey-Makey can help music educators expand the notion of creative music-making activities and allow for more varied and technological musical experiences within the classroom. Within my own instrumental music classroom, I engaged in a project with three of my students. Using the Makey-Makey, they experimented with various ways to make music, ultimately deciding to combine their love of music with art and robotics and create a working clock that played music as the hands passed each number. This opened up a number of other possible music-making activities, such as performing acoustic music along with electronic music - combining art, robotics, and electronic music with traditional music-making activities. In this presentation, I will describe and share examples of student work as well as describe the process of integrating the Makey-Makey into the classroom. Audience members who have not heard of Makey-Makey will take away a basic understanding of what it is and what it can do in and out of the classroom. Audience members already familiar with Makey-Makey will see an example of a project done in a public school classroom as well as gain insight into the thought process behind the project so that they may feel more comfortable integrating it into their own classrooms.

Extended Abstract: 

      

Conference Track: 
N/A
Session Type: 
SPARKS!
Intended Audience: 
All Attendees