Read more about this workshop in our reflection blogpost →
The PLIX team is thrilled to host our first Creative Learning Facilitation Workshop in collaboration with our nearby Cambridge (MA) Public Library. These two half-days of interactive professional development will give you the practical experience you’ll need to facilitate creative STEAM programming, including PLIX activities, for your patrons!
The Details
- Who is this workshop for? Public library professionals interested in creative learning and STEM/STEAM programming.
- When is it? November 17 & 18, 2020 from 12–5pm each day.
- What can I expect? Delve into creative learning and hone your facilitation skills by collaborating on hands-on projects… remotely! You'll also get to know the PLIX team, the Cambridge team, and the ~75 other public librarians in attendance. 👋
- Where will it happen? This workshop will be completely online. We hope you are safe and healthy, wherever you may be! 💻
- Why should I participate? As more librarians are asked to lead educational programs with emerging technologies, we think it’s important not just to get technology into the hands of patrons, but to cultivate an environment for patrons to experiment and create with technology.
- How much does it cost to attend? The workshop is free to attend. All hard-to-find hands-on materials used during the workshop will be provided and mailed by PLIX. We kindly ask that attendees participate fully in the two half-day workshop.
Agenda
The schedule is subject to change. However, you can expect these general themes. We know Zoom burnout is real and we are keeping this in mind during our planning 😉
Day 1: November 17th
Half day workshop (12–5pm EST)
- Welcome and kick-off
- Introduction to Creative Learning
- Hands-on session: PLIX Facilitation Introduction
- Discussion: What are we doing now in remoteland?
- Virtual tour of Cambridge Public Library’s Hive (optional)
Day 2: November 18th
Half day workshop (12–5pm EST)
- Facilitation personas session
- Deepening your library’s commitment to creative learning: Ambassadors program
- Hands-on session: Applying the principles of CL to existing STEM programs
- Intro to PLIX Activities (optional)
Join us!
We welcome participation from PLIX community members, friends of PLIX, or any librarians or library staff who are excited about creative learning and STEAM education in libraries. Applications are due by November 2nd and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We can’t wait to meet you!
FAQs
The Public Library Innovation Exchange (PLIX) develops STEAM learning experiences based on MIT Media Lab research and designed for the public library setting. Read more on our About page.
We’re open to participation from librarians or library staff who are interested in creative learning, STEAM education, and building their personal facilitation practice. If this sounds like you, then we’d love to have you join us!
While priority will be given to those who have not previously attended PLIX@Akron, we would be happy to have your participation as an attendee and co-facilitator. So, we encourage you to still apply. Every workshop is different, and as you know, we believe facilitation is a practice 😊. If you have questions or concerns, email us!
The PLIX team is looking into this option state-by-state. If you have advice about securing such an arrangement, we welcome your insight!
Yes, definitely! If you’d like to stay up-to-date, please join our online PLIX community and sign up for our monthly newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter @heyplix.
Members of the PLIX team were part of the group that launched the first iterations of Learning Creative Learning (LCL) in 2013 & 2014. This workshop has been tailored specifically to the needs of public libraries and is based on what we have learned from running LCL in the past!
Contact Us
Questions? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at plix-workshop@media.mit.edu.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. (RE-246380-OLS-20).