Workshops and Webinars

	Beginning to Intermediate LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Assemble and program an autonomous robot using Lego Mindstorms. Initially build stock examples and download recommended programs using a graphical user interface and flowcharting language. Build a "floor turtle" that can draw geometric figures or navigate a maze, a robotic "dog" that follows its owner and barks, a marble sorting machine that recognizes colors, or a humanoid "walker" bot. Learn some fundamental computer programming concepts including flow of control, conditionals, loops, and variables. Best of all, after trying a few of the standard examples, create new robots of your own design while exploring important ideas in mechanics and mathematics!
	Intermediate to Advanced Robotics (Beyond LEGO Mindstorms) Familiar with the basics of LEGO Mindstorms? Move up to more elaborate robots and the greater expressive power of text-based programming! Develop higher order thinking skills including planning and debugging. Learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the robotics context. Expand your horizons to more challenging robot assemblies such as Vex or Tetrix. Learn to work as part of team preparing for a competitive event. Build a "worker bot" to pick up objects, carry them to a destination and drop them off; a "hybrid bot" to obey not only remote control (R/C) commands but also your autonomous program; or a "battle bot" using sensor input to outwit predators.
	Tell a Digital Story with Pictures and Sound Write and produce a compelling digital story for yourself, family, friends or a wider audience. Learn to convey big ideas and strong emotions within the strict time constraints of a short clip, capturing and keeping viewer/listener attention. Plan and script your project using a "storyboard." Use iPhoto or iMovie to produce your own video. Use cinematic tools, artwork, sound effects, video effects and transitions. Take a seat in the director's chair! Curriculum inspired by Berkeley's Center for Digital Storytelling. With appropriate content and permission of guardian, your story could even be published on the Internet.
	Build a Computer Learn to properly handle delicate electronic parts and to identify the components that go into building a powerful, modern computer. Understand how all the parts interconnect to accomplish key functions: input, processing, storage, output. Acquire some of the same skills required for technical certifications. We will work with you in advance to determine your requirements and explain cost/benefit tradeoffs in parts selection for a balanced engineering design. Cost of parts depends on family specs and is not included in tuition; details to be worked out at least two weeks before class. Learn to install operating systems and applications software; preventive maintenance and safe software.
	Computers & Music Learn how music and technology can work together. Use tools like GarageBand to quickly and easily produce your own multi-part tunes. Create a rhythm track to back up your own solo. Think about important musical ideas such as themes and variations, or the relationship between melody notes and changes in the harmony. Create an original work! Understand the differences between synthesizers and samplers. Learn about different types of music software, such as sequencers, notation software, and practice tools such as Band in a Box. Make a "mashup" or a podcast! Connect a midi controller keyboard to a computer. Ask local musicians about the technology used on their gigs!
	Troubleshooting 101 / Classroom Technology Officers Hands-on activities illustrate specific procedures to help teachers and family with preventive maintenance, troubleshooting and problem resolution, on Windows and Mac computers, networks, and printers. Take apart a working computer and then put it back together again! Play the "troubleshooting game" -- "break" a working computer (under supervised conditions) -- then try to fix one broken by another team. Acquire the same skills used daily by Information Technology [IT] professionals. More importantly develop habits of mind that apply to many areas outside of the narrow technology context. Observe how troubleshooting techniques parallel the Scientific Method.
	Introduction to Unix-like Operating Systems Learn about Linux and other variations of Unix, including the BSD roots of the modern Macintosh operating system. Start to use the Mac Terminal or the Linux command line to accomplish tasks that are tedious or even inaccessible from the Graphical User Interface [GUI]. Understand the differences between a word processing application and a programmer-oriented text editor such as vi or Emacs. Write command line shell scripts and use keyboard macros to automate repetitive tasks. Learn about the different varieties of Linux such as Ubuntu and Red Hat, and compare the GUIs available for Linux systems such as Gnome and KDE. Explore open source apps such as Open Office.