Best Jenny Sweeney Podcasts (2024)

1
Moon Makers of Mexico 22:47

1h ago22:47

22:47

Dale Dougherty interviews Camila and Diego Luna of Moonmakers at the Fab 24 conference in Puebla, Mexico. Moonmakers is an educational non-profit focused on promoting science, technology, STEAM education, and the maker movement. They share their journey from starting with robotics and participating in international competitions, to creating content…

1
A Safe Place to Use Tools 17:22

3M ago17:22

17:22

Chad Orcutt created Community Shop Class in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento, California. What started out as the ADHD Inventor's Club in his garage grew into a new space, unlike any makerspace you've seen. He saw it as way to help people, particularly neurodivergent people like himself, learn to use tools safely. He's built a shop class for…

1
The Sneaky DIY of Cy Tymony 36:20

4M ago36:20

36:20

My guest is Cy Tymony, author of "Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things" and "Sneaky Math." Cy has a wonderful DIY worldview that he shares through his many books. He reveals a secret world to you if you're willing to be a little sneaky. To Cy, sneaky means you learn about something that not everybody knows, the way a magician has learned to do a trick a…

1
Jenny Young and the story of Brooklyn Robot Foundry 30:32

4M ago30:32

30:32

Jenny Young is a mechanical engineer who founded Brooklyn Robot Factory thirteen years ago and introduced it at World Maker Faire in NYC to bring hands-on learning experiences to kids in schools and afterschool programs. Her company has evolved into a franchise business where they train and equip others to provide hands-on classes. Jenny says: "I'm…

1
Making as a Creative Practice - Matt Zigler 32:56

8M ago32:56

32:56

Matt Zigler is the author of a new book for educators titled "3 Modes of Making." He talks about imitation, modification and innovation as three different modes of student projects, which can develop different maker skills. Matt is an artist and educator who has been running the makerspace at Bullis, an independent school in the DC area. He brings …

1
It's Time to Design for Repair - Jude Pullen 43:02

9M ago43:02

43:02

Trying to repair almost anything can be a frustrating exercise. Repair is made more difficult by the way devices are designed and the ability to repair a device could be improved greatly if different design decisions were made. This moment in time demands a new generation of designers, engineers and makers to consider how to make products that can …

1
AI Robots for Kids 29:08

10M ago29:08

29:08

This episode features an interview with the authors of a new book titled "AI Robots." which includes Reade Richard, Andy Forest, Brenda Shivanandan and Denzel Edwards. The book is designed to teach kids how to build AI-powered projects using hands-on activities and coding. The authors discuss the different sections of the book, which include physic…

1
The Challenges of Running a Community Makerspace: Jim Sweeney - NoVA Labs 23:41

10M ago23:41

23:41

My guest on this episode of Make:cast is Jim Sweeney, the treasurer of NoVA Labs, a community makerspace in northern Virginia. Jim talks honestly about the challenges of growing a makerspace. With 700 members and many programs for young makers in the community, NoVA Labs has a bold vision of what a makerspace can be and Jim is determined to realize…

1
Tinkerer, Engineer, Mr. Mom, Maker, Teacher 34:12

11M ago34:12

34:12

A conversation between Dale Dougherty, the founder of Make Magazine and Maker Faire, and Brian Wagner, an educator, coder, and maker. Brian Wagner talks about his life as a maker from his first encounter with computers to his current career in teaching and creating a how-to-code video course. They discuss his early fascination with computers, trans…

1
Hack Club's Chris Walker and Castle Bravo 15:21

12M ago15:21

15:21

Chris Walker dropped out of Dartmouth and became a Thiel Fellow in 2013. He had an idea for a math video game that was inspired by the TI 84 graphing calculator. He tried creating an educational video game studio but it didn't work out. He joined Hack Club, a student-led educational intiative that started teaching coding but has branched out. Hack …

1
Growing into the Future: The Makerspace at Moreno Valley College 24:49

1y ago24:49

24:49

Donnell Layne and Jason Kennedy developed the iMAKE Innovation Center Makerspace at Moreno Valley College in Southern California, an Hispanic-serving community college. They talk about developing the space to meet the needs of students and faculty as well as the broader community. They also see it as a space that is growing into the future, just li…

1
Trig - the oldest practical math 26:22

1y ago26:22

26:22

My guests on this episode are the authors of Make Trigonometry, Build Your Way from Triangles to Analytic Geometry, Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron. Make Trigonometry is the third math book that Joan and Rich have written with us, the previous books being Make Geometry and Make Calculus. Joan calls herself a recovering rocket scientist. In that caree…

1
Making Creative Space with Assemble's Nina Barbuto 40:19

1y ago40:19

40:19

Assemble is a leading example of a community-oriented creative space focused on the needs of youth, providing summer and afterschool programming that is fun, expressive and personal. Nina Barbuto is the founder and director of Assemble, which serves youth and adults in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Starting and growing a community makerspace is hard, b…

1
Daniel Brateris on Experiential Learning at NJIT 27:42

1y ago27:42

27:42

Daniel Brateris is Director of Experiential Learning at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey. We talk about the practice of hands on learning and its value to students in engineering. Daniel was responsible for building out the manufacturing and makerspace facilities at NJIT. We talk about the social value of these spaces that b…

1
Michael Stone: Authentic Learning and Making 28:37

1+ y ago28:37

28:37

Dale Dougherty talks to Michael Stone of the Public Education Foundation of Hamilton County in southeast Tennessee. Michael is responsible to developing a network of 34 Fab Labs in K-12 schools with more to come next year. In this conversation, Michael talks about making as authentic learning, involving real problems and solutions, and which leads …

1
"I knew nurses were making because I did it myself" 17:54

1+ y ago17:54

17:54

Rose Hedges of UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Anna Young of Maker Health join me to talk about how a makerspace on the first floor of a hospital has created opportunities for nurses and other medical staff to prototype solutions to problems they encounter in their jobs. Rose is a nurse and manages the makerspace called Generate Lab. Sh…

1
Galen Powers - People Passionate about their Craft 53:40

1+ y ago53:40

53:40

Galen Powers is a multi-faceted person: a maker and an inventor who has been successful in business. He credits his success to working with people who are passionate about their craft. In this conversation, Galen talks about growing up in rural California, learning about plastics and engineering graphics in high school and then figuring out how to …

1
The Return of Robogames 26:14

1+ y ago26:14

26:14

Organizer David Caulkins and Combat Robot Legend Ray Billings talk about the return of Robogames, which takes place at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton CA on April 6th through 9th, 2023. Robogames is the world's largest robot competition with over 54 different events -- everything from tiny little Rubik's cube-sized Sumo robots that act…

1
The Story of Voron Design with Maks Zolin 16:32

1+ y ago16:32

16:32

Maks Zolin wanted to build a better, faster printer that was also quieter. He set out building the Voron printer in his garage but he ended up deciding that he didn't want to run a 3D printer company. So, he open sourced his work and invited others to collaborate with him. That's how Maks came to launch Voron Design, an innovation community pushing…

1
Obsessed with Colorful LED Orbs 27:05

1+ y ago27:05

27:05

Maker and educator, Debra Ansell is my guest on this episode of Make:cast. She is obsessed with orbs -- colorful, LED orbs and she shows us how to build a brightly lit orb in the new issue of Make Magazine. Debra and I talk about the process of developing her orb project. She also talks about her LED pillows based on the Pixel Blaze controller, as …

1
On Pulleys and Pirate Ships-Learning CAD 38:11

1+ y ago38:11

38:11

A lot of makers struggle to learn CAD. Why is this keystone piece of software such a challenge to learn? This is what I talk about with Jake Sugden and Josh Manley, who are the teachers of CAD Class at cadclass.org. Jake and Josh met at Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa, California, a professional makerspace where they had a lot of opportunity to see pe…

1
Customizing Adaptive Devices for People with Disabilities 26:27

1+ y ago26:27

26:27

Microsoft's Bryce Johnson and John Helmes Join Make: Editor Caleb Kraft to talk about creating adaptive devices that can be customized, hacked and modded easily by makers using 3D printers as well as the people with disabilities who use them. Bryce Johnson works at the Inclusive Tech Lab at Microsoft who is one of the co-inventors of the Xbox Adapt…

1
Santa Needs Maker Microfactories 33:13

2y ago33:13

33:13

The world needs more maker microfactories and I wonder if Santa might be interested in learning more about them from Tim Keller, the head of Inventopia in Davis CA, my guest on this episode. A maker microfactory is a kind of makerspace that focuses on the needs of startups and individual entrepreneurs who are creating prototypes for a business. Kel…

1
If Kids Really Knew STEM with Jasmine Florentine 26:24

2y ago26:24

26:24

Jasmine Florentine's new book introduces making and STEM to middle-schoolers. The book, "Hex Allen and the Clanksmiths", creates a fantasy world where real problems are solved by hands-on skills. Jasmine is driven to help young people understand STEM, not just as a field of study, but as an opportunity to apply their creativity as well as intellige…

1
Dorothy Jones-Davis Moves to KID Museum 32:31

2y ago32:31

32:31

Dorothy Jones-Davis has been Executive Director of Nation of Makers for six years. She recently announced that she is leaving to join the KID Museum in Bethesda Maryland as Chief Impact Officer. In this episode, we talk about how Nation of Makers got started, some of its accomplishments and where it might go. I also asked Dorothy how working in thi…

1
Jason Pohl: From Designing Video Games to Orange County Choppers and Beyond 22:33

2y ago22:33

22:33

Jason Pohl calls himself a "pretengineer" because he's self-taught. Trained as artist, his design work has taken him from creating video games to actually designing and fabricating parts for Orange County Choppers. Jason moved into CAD design and working with CNC machines. He has boundless energy and enthusiasm as someone who is doing what he alway…

1
Student-Centered Coaching with Diane Sweeney 50:02

2y ago50:02

50:02

What does student-centered coaching look like in your school? Diane Sweeney breaks down student-centered coaching to support your teachers and teams. Diane Sweeney has been an author and educational consultant since 1999. The author of Student-Centered Coaching from a Distance (Corwin, 2021), The Essential Guide for Student-Centered Coaching (Corwi…

1
Winners of the Amazing Maker Awards 2022 43:51

2y ago43:51

43:51

Meet the winners of this year's Amazing Maker Awards. Our top winners come from the US and Canada, Turkey, Japan, and Germany and they are as young as 14. Their projects represent social impact, art, technical achievement and education. This is an audio recording of our October 4 Live Showcase in which I talked to our top winners about their projec…

1
Team Form and Function with Dr. Jennie Weiner 43:31

2y ago43:31

43:31

What is the form and function of your school’s instructional leadership team? Dr. Jennie Weiner shares key insights on local school instructional leadership teams. Dr. Jennie Weiner is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Connecticut, Neeg School of Education. Jennie is an author and expert on issues of women educat…

1
From Personality Typology to Polarity Thinking with Dr. Jane Kise 46:33

2y ago46:33

46:33

From Personality Typing to Polarity Thinking, Dr. Jane Kise shares her insights on how leaders can be more intentional, systemic, and practical in their work. Jane Kise, an educational consultant with extensive experience in leadership, instructional coaching, differentiation, and effective mathematics instruction, is considered a worldwide expert …

1
The Wherewithal to Change Things Through Making 32:38

2y ago32:38

32:38

I'd like you to meet Amy Zell - mother, librarian, grief counselor, and maker. In this episode, she talks about the power of making to change things, to change people. She credits Casey Shea, a Sonoma County maker educator with telling her about "maker empowerment" at the Fab Institute in Pittsburgh in 2018. She understood "maker empowerment" to me…

1
Collective Efficacy with Dr. Jenni Donohoo 40:48

2y ago40:48

40:48

What is Collective Teacher Efficacy and how can it make an impact on team performance and student achievement? Dr. Jenni Donohoo shares key insights to help leaders foster collective efficacy in their teams. Dr. Jenni Donohoo is a five-time best-selling author and professional learning facilitator with more than 20 years experience in leading schoo…

1
Professional Learning Communities with Steve Barkley 49:43

2y ago49:43

49:43

Teaching is a team sport and a transparent act. Steve Barkley shares his insights on the power of a Professional Learning Community. For the past 40 years, Steve has served as an educational consultant to school districts, teacher organizations, state departments of education, and colleges and universities nationally and internationally, facilitati…

1
A Better Way to Learn Calculus with Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron 28:24

2y ago28:24

28:24

Authors of the new book, Make: Calculus, Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron talk about using Legos and 3D printed models to create visualizations that help anyone learn calculus. After we talk about the book, Joan and Rich show some of the models that demonstrate Lotka Volterra equations, for instance. You might prefer to see that portion as a video, wh…

1
Season 1 Trailer 2:21

2y ago2:21

2:21

Hey, this is John Willis and I am so excited to share with you my new podcast. It’s called The Teaming Edge podcast. Every couple of weeks I will be talking with best selling authors, education consultants, and education leaders just like you. We will go deep on topics that will support your team leadership so that you can foster a culture of learn…

1
Finding Maker Town with Susie Frazier 32:42

2y ago32:42

32:42

Susie Frazier created the Maker Town platform for makers and artists working in Cleveland and Northern Ohio so that more people can find them and learn about what they make. Susie is a maker, creator and artist. Her own journey led her to Cleveland, Ohio, where she began developing her own functional and decorative art, working with stone and then …

1
Humanmade SF's Ryan Spurlock 17:15

2y ago17:15

17:15

A refugee from TechShop in SF, Ryan Spurlock took what he learned there and applied it to a new makerspace called Humanmade located in the design district of San Francisco. Two things stand out about this makerspace. One is how it was funded: a local developer whom the City required to set aside funding for community development worked with Ryan to…

1
The Magic Never Died - Maker Faire Long Island 15:29

2+ y ago15:29

15:29

Maker Faires are slowly coming back. After not happening for two years, Maker Faire Long Island took place in June at Port Jefferson Village's Explorium. Everybody was happy to come back. said co-producers of Maker Faire Long Island, Angeline Judex and Lisa C. Rodriguez. Angeline is the Explorium's Executive Director and Lisa is in digital media ma…

1
Wyoming's Maker Access Pass with Tyler Kerr 29:54

2+ y ago29:54

29:54

Tyler Kerr runs the Innovation Wyrkshop, a makerspace at the University of Wyoming. During COVID, state officials saw the potential for makerspaces in vocational rehab and developing skills in local communities. And so they are funding the build out of a network of makerspaces throughout the state. Tyler and his students set out to build a safety p…

1
Playification - The Makey Makey Story 29:18

2+ y ago29:18

29:18

Makey Makey, a creative platform for children of all ages, turned 10 years old this month. In this episode, we talk with Jay Silver, the creative technologist behind the platform, and Jay Melican, formerly of Intel who runs the business. Jay Silver talks about creative play and learning, and the community that has grown up around Makey Makey. https…

1
Shop Talk and Tips with Gareth Branwyn 34:17

2+ y ago34:17

34:17

DIY lifer Gareth Branwyn has compiled a new volume of his series, Tips and Tales of the Workshop, Volume 2. He joins Dale Dougherty to talk about how he collects tips — asking a person directly to share a tip is not very productive. He shares some of his favorite tips he has found. He talks about the aspirational quality of tips, how picking up an …

1
Making is So Elementary 28:12

2+ y ago28:12

28:12

Julie Darling, author/educator/librarian, talks her book "Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects: Step by Step Projects and Resources for Grades 3-6". She is a Media Specialist at A2 Steam in Ann Arbor, CA. We talk about getting fidgety kids engaged and excited. She explains that a Makerspace can be a creative place for st…

1
Mike on Make: 18:14

2+ y ago18:14

18:14

Mike Senese has been the Executive Editor for Make: for almost nine years. He started on volume 36 and leaves now after wrapping up issue 81. Mike joins Dale Dougherty to talk about his experiences at Make: and Maker Faire, as well as working with the maker community. See ya soon, Mike Senese. https://make.co/make-cast/…

1
Determination: Makers in Ukraine 21:05

2+ y ago21:05

21:05

Determination seems like the best word to describe the collective response of Ukrainians as they fight for their country, for their home and their freedom. One month ago, I spoke with Yuri Vlasyuk and Svitlana Bovkun who live in Kyiv. That was the day Russia invaded Ukraine. I knew them because they were producers of Maker Faire in Ukraine. I wante…

1
Fearless CNC 35:29

2+ y ago35:29

35:29

You might say that CNC is like a stepchild in the digital fabrication family, not the friendliest or easiest tool to get to know in the maker-space. Yet CNC is not something that most makers should be afraid of, especially as new software allows you to see in simulation what the CNC machine is going to do before you press go. In this episode, I'm j…

1
Share the Repair with Wayne Seltzer 44:03

2+ y ago44:03

44:03

My guest on this episode is Wayne Seltzer who is lifelong fixer himself. He started the U-Fix-It Clinic in Boulder, Colorado to help others learn to fix things. Wayne helped put the "you" in Fixit Clinics, making sure they empowered people to learn to do the repairs themselves rather than having an expert do it for them. Wayne's article in the curr…

1
Kiddy Copter - A Family Affair 28:02

2+ y ago28:02

28:02

Charles Helmholdt of Grand Rapids, Michigan designed and built a Kiddy Copter, based on the Bell 47 helicopter from the M.A.S.H TV series. In this episode of Make:cast, we talk about the how and why to build this ride for kids. What does stand out is that Charles likes to build things and he does it with and for his family. Kiddy Copter first appea…

1
Maker's Knowledge with Bill Gurstelle 26:57

2+ y ago26:57

26:57

William Gurstelle is the author of many popular technical books, including Backyard Ballistics and the three-volume Remaking History. He has been a contributor of projects to Make: Magazine, and currently writes the Remaking History column, which features a historical invention that you can recreate at home. For the last three years, Bill has been …

1
Smaller is Big: Eben Upton of Raspberry Pi 45:12

2+ y ago45:12

45:12

Over nine years ago, Raspberry PI was created by a small team, led by Eben Upton as a kind of academic side project. This single board computer was a PC without a keyboard, a monitor, any kind of enclosure, an inexpensive board that could be connected to power and other USB devices. It was completely open to whatever you wanted to do with. Raspberr…

1
Will We Be Better Prepared the Next Time? 17:54

2+ y ago17:54

17:54

This preview of Respiracon II (January 29-30) features Robert Read of Public Invention and Leith Greenslade of the Every Breath Counts Coalition. They are starting a conversation around open source medical devices and how makers can work more productively when the next pandemic or other emergency happens. Link to Respiracon II: https://www.pubinv.o…

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