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I took a tour of the Innovation Hub with my Environment and Society class. Before the end of the semester, we have the option (that I chose) to create some art that portrays our waste culture, which I will be using the Innovation Hub for since a third floor apartment isn't very conducive to woodworking. During the tour, they went over all of the materials they have available for use, explaining that for most you would have to watch a video before using the equipment. As of now, anyone can go, students or not, using the Innovation Hub to express their creativity. They will even pay for supplies (to a certain amount). I like how OU is working to encourage creativity in its students, providing resources to promote that expression. I asked someone who was answering questions if they had any innovation workshops, which they said they didn't have.  During the tour, I had many ideas for the Waste final project that changed and grew with each machine they introduced to us. When I walked into the Innovation Hub, I had no ideas about what I was going to make or how I was going to do it, but after being shown what tools I have to use and the resources how to use those tools, my creativity sparked. It's a thought that I've been reflecting on since then; What could I have done in school if I had known what tools were there for my use? I plan on trying to make sure my students are aware of any opportunities or tools they can utilize to help them achieve their goals, be it short or long term. 

I was able to take a "Tool of the Week" workshop with the Innovation Hub's laser cutter. I had been to the Hub before because I am heavily involved on campus but I realized I had never even used a machine there. First, I had to watch a training video and score 100% on a quiz to become certified to use the machine. Then, I was given a tour of all the machines and how they could be useful to me as a student. Then, I was able to design something on Adobe Illustrator and use a plank of wood to begin cutting! I cut out a figurine of the Union clocktower. As a future teacher, things are expensive and salary is usually low. I want to create crates, pencil boxes, cubbies, decor, science experiments, and much more using the Hub. All I need is to provide the supplies. I can even etch on the name of my class or the subject, which means I can personalize it. I also thought about doing name tags for my students' desks with wood etching. I love this resource and plan on going a lot more often now! 

I visited the innovation hub on march 25th. I was given a full tour of the fab lab. There were multiple different machines available for student use. I found it extremely interesting to see the 3D machines, and laser cutter. There is also a room in the back where you can learn to use a variety of power tools. I learned how to use the laser cutter. I do not think this will be specifically useful in my classroom because I won't have one. But I do think it was beneficial because I learned a new skill I did not know before I came in here. Maybe one day I will need to use it to make things for my classroom. 

During this trip to the Innovation hub, we learned to use the laser cutter, received a full tour of the Innovation Hub and learned all of the other machines and tools they have to offer. Each of these machines look very futuristic and were not a part of my education growing up. As a future teacher, it is important to familiarize yourself with these tools for they may be a part of education in the future. It would be cool to incorporate them in the classroom somehow. I would like to bring my class to the Innovation Hub on a field trip or have the workers come speak in my class about what they do and use what they shared to do an activity in my class. I want my students to be prepared for the future and familiarizing my students with these tools is vital to their future success in the world.

I attended the Introduction to Virtual Reality Workshop on Tuesday, March 21st at the Edge in the Bizzell Memorial Library. Virtual Reality was a topic that was very new to me, and I was eager to see what VR was all about. I discovered that OVAL was a virtual reality software system that could be used for teaching and learning material ranging from science and medicine to architecture to gaming and experimenting for fun. This software allowed users to upload images and characterize them in the virtual 3D world. I got to work with a skull model that let me see the 3D object in life size scale and proportion. The OVAL let me draw and mark on the skull and rotate its form in a 360 degree direction. The amazing thing about VR using OVAL is all the amazing opportunities you can use in the classroom. I also experienced flying through a blood vessel, examining the vessel in a whole 360 degrees. These opportunities are vary rare to come by, and students would have some many amazing opportunities to explore the VR world that they wouldn't find anywhere else. Another software I got to observe and test out was the holographic VR system. This was similar to the OVAL but the users could still see the present world in front of them and aren't secluded to just the 3D virtual world. I enjoyed seeing the different holographics when using this technology. Another interesting thing about this software is the ability to connect with other VR users and share the same screen. As an educator, I could see this software being very useful in various classes where all students can share a similar learning experience. As I was experimenting through the science "lense" of VR, I found how useful this software could be for specific classes such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, and many more. The only downfall to obtaining these software systems is the costs and knowledge of use. The VR club at OU is still experimenting and learning with new software, so I see it being very difficult for teachers to learn and teach their students, especially at an elementary age. However, I believe at the higher educational level, students can benefit tremendously with in depth content and VR.

I attended the Introduction to Tableau Workshop as part of my Innovation badge. At this workshop, I learned the basic skills associated with Tableau. Tableau is software used to present data in many different ways. In the hour, we experiemented with already-gathered data, and got shown how to put it into a bar graph, a line graph and a statistical map. The instructions given were very clear and easy to follow, which made the process of making these graphs seem very simple. I believe everything I learnt at this Innovation workshop will be extremely useful for my teaching career. I believe this can be used in Math classes when children are learning about Data and Information Handling, as it will be a creative way for them to display data and allow them to learn how to display data in different ways. As the app is easy to understand, it will be easy for me to teach it to the children for them to use for themselves without many problems occurring. This may also be useful in Social Studies or Geography lessons as a way to appreciate statistics and allow for children, particularly in the upper elementary grades, to understand and learn more. Overall, I believe this workshop was extremely useful for me and taught me a lot on the importance of data visualisation, which will also be useful for my future classroom. 

I attended a workshop at the Library Innovation Edge Lab on March 14th which covered how to wire and program micro-controllers. Before visiting the lab, I had no idea what I micro-controller was or what its function was. It was really intriguing to learn about how they work and have the opportunity to learn a little about coding. At the lab, the teacher explained that any form of computer code is essentially a language that helps you communicate with your computer in order to have it perform certain functions. Micro-controllers are simple programmable boards that can retain small amounts of code, and prompt technology to perform functions such as detecting light, motion, turning things on or off, operating fans, operating movable parts, etc. The language we were using was a C programming language, which operates by performing two main phases: a startup, and a loop. The startup is what the language prompts the computer to do whenever the computer receives power, and boots up. The startup is only performed once as specified, and then proceeds to the loop phase. The loop is a process that will repeat until specified, or until power is no longer received by the computer.

During the workshop, I used my board to turn on four LED lights. With manipulating the code, I was able to perform lots of different functions. I made the lights flash at an interval of 1 second, made the blue lights and yellow lights turn on and off in an alternating fashion, and even added a button to the board that allowed me to turn the lights of and off. The programming  language was a bit difficult for me to grasp at first, because it is a very different way of thinking. "If (x), then (y)." For example, "If (button is pushed), then (lights will turn on)." This was the most simple way that I could understand how it worked. I certainly have a much deeper appreciation for coding now, especially because one letter, capitalization, space, or misplaced bracket can make the code unable to work.

I don't know that knowledge of micro-controllers specifically will impact my future career as an art teacher, but perhaps the most important thing that I reflected on after the workshop was the significance of staying up to date with technology. I need to stay immersed in technology and learn how things work so that I can provide opportunities to my students. Many students connect with technology, and it can be a wonderful vehicle for learning. I think this workshop gave me some great insight on how quickly things are changing in the world of tech. The innovation hub is a fantastic resource, and there are plenty of people who are on staff who are happy to educate and answer questions about cutting edge development. And actually, I do see some artists who have been working with digital fabrication, and utilizing 3D printers. The staff at the lab asked me if I had an interest in 3D art, and informed me that I was welcome to come in to learn how to use 3D modeling software and print my creations. I will definitely be using it in the future!

At the Innovation Hub, I learned about all the resources that they offer. They have many technologies that can help with a variety of projects. They have a collaborative space that groups can use. Since these technologies are so unique, it really forces the user to be creative. No longer do projects have to be made in a PowerPoint presentation format, using these tools available to us, the presentation can be more interactive and applicable to the topic. The Innovation Hub encourages users to create new ideas and uses for the machines, which is something that should be encouraged with all technology. There are a lot of resources available to us, some of the resources we might never have heard of. This can be an important lesson to learn, as students and as teachers, that there are always resources to help in learning and planning. 

I attended a Fiber Arts Workshop at the Innovation Hub and learned how to knit.  The workshop was offering introductory lessons to knitting and crocheting, and since I already know how to crochet, I decided to try knitting instead.  I enjoyed this workshop because it gave me an introduction to knitting in a positive environment provided just for students like myself.  The variety of workshops available at the Innovation Hub was incredible to see, especially the 3D printings constantly whirring in the background.  I think it's great that OU offers this free service to students, and I would love to come back and explore more in their workshops. My instructor was an employee at the library who was also an avid knitter, and it was her first time hosting the workshop.  One thing that stood out to me from this experience is how my instructor addressed my mistakes with knitting.  She would say: "This is great for me because you're teaching me how to change what I'm doing and teach better in the future."  Her self-reflection was helpful to me as a future educator.  I would like to adopt this attitude in my future classroom and take every moment with my students as an opportunity for learning and reflection in order to hone my skills and abilities as a teacher.  

I went to the Innovation Hub as part of my Environment and Society class. This place is brand-new and open to OU students, faculty and staff. The fabrication lab is actually open to the public (with restrictions). We learned about all the tools in the fabrication lab which included 3D printers and scanners, vinyl cutters, laser cutters, a fully stocked wood shop and more! OU students, faculty and staff can get trained through online videos to become certified to use most of the equipment. However, the few, more dangerous equipment require face-to-face training. The lab staff can help you create just about any size of a project and even provide you with materials for some basic projects. For larger projects, they will even store it for you so you do not have to transport the materials between visits. I can definitely see myself using this resource as a student and in my future career. The 3D technology would be great to scan or build atomic models for chemistry lessons. This could also be helpful when teaching about physiology, anatomy etc. and concepts that are hard to visualize. I encourage everyone to explore and take advantage of the innovation hub!

I attended the Intro to 3D Scanning Working at the Edge. In the workshop, we learned about the 3 tools they have in the library that can be utilized to create 3D scans of different objects. Stacey, the instructor, also taught us about the different qualities to look for when deciding which objects we want to scan. She also discussed which tool would be recommended depending on the object we were going to scan. For example, she stated that when choosing objects, it is best to avoid objects that have intricate/detailed geometry, small in size, or those that are made of reflective material. We also learned that there is a free software through the IT Store called AutoDesk ReMake, which allows users to create their own 3D scans using photos taken with your smart phone. When taking photos, it is recommended to take at least 25 photos because there must be 70% of overlap between pictures to ensure a good scan. I choose to scan a green spikey ball, which if you look at the photo posted for evidence didn't come out to be a good scan. This could be from both the intricate geometry and lack of photos.

I thought that this could be used in my future math classroom when we are learning about scale. I could have students 3D scan something, then create a scale that shows how big or small the object is in reality.