Welcome to the iMake-IT project website!
...means putting on the hat of an inventor: Trying out your own ideas and building interactive things that are fun. This involves tinkering and building, programming and manufacturing. In addition to the traditional tools of technical and textile design, digital tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters and microcontrollers are used. With the tools at hand, minigolf courses with movable obstacles are created, as well as individual picture frames or remote-controlled vehicles.
iMake-IT is a project of the Schwyz University of Teacher Education (PHSZ) supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. In cooperation with the makerspace "Turbine", iMake-IT has been conducting workshops for school classes, families and children in Brunnen since August 2019. Further information, contact and registration possibilities can be found at the "facile" department of the PHSZ.
Our central projects are the workshops we are providing. Every friday we conduct a half-day workshop with a school class to let as many children and adolescents as possible experience "making". In the past year we have hosted classes from all over the German-speaking Switzerland. Our participants are generally 11-14 years old.
Furthermore, we offer summer workshops, whole-day workshops during summer break, which children and adolescents can participate in. There, they can gain enough knowledge to continue working with the micro:bit at home.
Throughout the year we also organise several family workshops. These half-day workshops are designed to offer families a unique experience by creating a product with digital making tools such as laser cutter, 3D-printer and cutting plotter.
All our workshops are free for the participants with the optional cost for materials. For more information and the possibility to sign up for a workshop, please visit our German website.
Other than workshops, the iMake-IT project also includes aspects such as:
creating new didactic material mainly for the work with micro:bit (check out our Activities section)
organising workshops and projects weeks for schools
providing courses designed to introduce teachers to "making" and micro:bits
offering visitiations
promoting physical computing through different media, building a network with other similar projects and providing support for the organisation of new projects
For the project several activities were created. Also didactic material was developed which is open for use (only available in German).
We are happy to share our experiences and our additional material created in the process of the project. Information on how to start with the micro:bit, a list of materials, background information about making, cheat sheets and more can be found on our main website (all documents in German).
«iMake-IT» – A project of Fachstelle facile part of the Schwyz University of Teacher Education (PHSZ).
Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
In cooperation with the makerspace «Turbine» and the Berufsbildungszentrum BBZ Pfäffikon.