Make:cast

Sarah H Chung is the manager of Maker Learning at Center City Public Charter Schools in Washington DC. Sarah shares her journey into maker education, starting with her diverse interests in hobbies and previous positions in teaching computer science and making at Lighthouse Charter Schools in Oakland. She discusses her experience setting up a makerspace during her time in Scandinavia and then moving back to the US. Sarah took a job to develop a new 20,000-square-foot makerspace for this charter school network of five urban schools.  She talks about the challenges of integrating making into the curriculum, and her efforts to connect staff and students with maker-centered learning. She emphasizes the importance of experiential learning, community building, and the benefits of fostering creativity and practical skills. 
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In this episode of Make:cast, host Dale Dougherty is joined by Hannah Hagon, author of "Unplugged Tots," and Brian Jepson, publisher at Raspberry Pi. The discussion centers on Hannah’s new book, which offers screen-free, play-based activities designed to introduce young children to computational thinking and logical problem-solving without the use of computers or coding apps.
Hannah shares her inspiration for the book, rooted in her experiences as a parent seeking ways to bridge the gap between early childhood play and later engagement with technology. The activities in "Unplugged Tots" use everyday household items and focus on concepts like sequencing, pattern recognition, and problem-solving, making them accessible to all families regardless of technical background or resources.
The conversation explores the importance of fostering creativity, resilience, and metacognition in children, emphasizing that learning to think computationally is about more than just coding—it’s about developing a toolkit of skills for the future. The guests also discuss the challenges parents face with screen time and the value of hands-on, collaborative learning experiences.
Promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HRFT10ec5A
Coming soon (preorders available):
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unplugged-Tots-Introduce-Children-Foundations/dp/1916868223
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Tots-Introduce-children-foundations/dp/1916868223
https://make.co/make-cast/

In this episode of Make:cast, Dale Dougherty from Make Magazine chats with Marilyn Nash and Amber Hudson, authors of 'A Maker's Life'. Both of them are former teachers - Marilyn is retired and Ambers works at 1st Makerspace in Indiana. They discuss the impact their book has had on readers, igniting meaningful conversations about the maker mindset among people of all ages. Amber shares the story of how she and Marilyn met and collaborated on the book, which serves as both a personal narrative of Marilyn's life as a maker and a reflective guide for developing makerspaces. They delve into Marilyn's background, influenced by her mother who was a diarist and a creator, and how art and making provided her solace during tough times. They emphasize the importance of self-expression, creativity, and the generational influence of making. The conversation also touches on the educational system's challenges in integrating a maker mindset and its potential to transform learning environments. The authors hope to inspire not just students but also older generations and educators to embrace their identity as makers.
A Maker's Life email: amakerslifebook@gmail.com
A Maker's Life website: amakerslife.org
To purchase the book visit on Amazon: bit.ly/3Ex3tn8
https://make.co/make-cast/

In this episode of Make:cast, host Dale Dougherty speaks with Kirk Pearson, author of 'Electronic Music from Scratch,' and Kevin Toyama, the book's editor. Kirk is a musical experimenter and he encourages others to do the same.  Kirk shares his journey from a traditional music background to creating electronic music and building custom instruments. He discusses his workshops, where participants learn to build synthesizers and other electronic instruments. Specific topics include circuit bending, synthesizer design, and the use of capacitors and potentiometers in creating electronic sounds. The conversation also touches on the challenges of translating workshop experiences into a book and the collaborative process with the book's illustrator, Maisie Byerly. Kirk also mentions his other projects, including a new album and a show called 'Radio Pacific.' The episode highlights the intersection of creativity, music, and DIY electronics.

To buy Kirk's book, visit Maker Shed https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronic-music-print

Check out Dogbotic Labs.  https://dogbotic.com
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This is the keynote talk I gave at the Trenton Computer Festival 2025 at the end of March.  The theme of the festival was Fun with Technology and I talked about how Make and Maker Faire have been dedicated to people who have fun with technology.  I slightly edited this talk to remove references to the slides I used in the talk. 
https://make.co/make-cast/