Welcome! We are Team STEAMineer. We are a graduate student project at the CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center exploring and experimenting with best practices for incorporating Game Design and technology into maker-centered learning. Based on the STEAM cart model implemented by 2-Bit Circus Foundation, we are seeing how technology can be used to enhance maker learning in Pittsburgh.
Without further ado, I’d like to introduce Team STEAMineer!
Yifan Deng- Artist & Designer 
Marissa Doerger- Co-Producer 
Max Hsieh- Lead Programmer 
Mimi Wang- Programmer & Designer 
Isabel Yi- Co-Producer & Designer 
Mia Zhang- Artist & Fabricator
Our Team also has two faculty advisors- Dave Culyba and Scott Stevens
This week we set out on our journey to learn more about maker-centered learning and get closer to developing and implementing our own tools to contribute to maker-centered education. Our team got to meet for the first time, set up our project room, and begin exploring the world of maker education.
As a team we researched examples of maker-centered projects that we liked and might want to replicate or consider in our own designs. We read about different technology already being implemented in makerspaces STEAM education and how we might be able to supplement pre-existing work. We discussed arduinos, AR, and legos. There was also a suggestion to try to expand maker education further by looking at adding computer graphics or machine learning. We played with Wonderscope, Quick Draw, and Pixel to Pixel. We looked at examples of work from NYU students using microcontrollers and physical inputs. We also began reaching out to organizations in Pittsburgh focused on Maker Education. In the coming weeks the team will have the opportunity to talk with professionals from Remake Learning, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s MAKESHOP, and MakerEd.
Finally, we ended the week attending the STEAM Showcase hosted by Remake Learning. This gave our team the opportunity to experience the work of both formal and informal maker education all over Pittsburgh. We talked to teachers who developed STEM classes and curriculum, students showcasing their own work that incorporated technology and design, and community representatives who provide curriculum, materials, and experiences in STEAM for students and teachers. The STEAM Showcase was a great opportunity to get in touch with the community we are trying to serve and to see the breadth of possibilities available. Check back as we narrow our focus and begin our development!
