Our schools and workplaces routinely forbid us to have open honest communication with our peers. Whether it's passing notes in class or using social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, the basic rules have stayed the same, "Dont do it." But a revolution is growing. In the face of such communication restrictions, makerspaces are coming into their own as the backdrop for people to create new communities -- built on learning, teaching and open communication.
In James Carlson’s TEDxMadtown talk from April 27, 2011, he describes the cyclical mentoring relationships going on right now between three generations of makers, and why makerspaces are succeeding in building new communication practices where traditional schools and work enviroments are failing.
"This is all being broadcast online. If you want to see a healthy use of social media...just go on Flickr, Deviant Art, Facebook, Twitter. You'll find those stories all over the place," says James. "What I ask you to do is, go to [a local makerspace], spend a day there, and see this stuff in action."
In the meantime, take a few minutes to enoy his TEDx talk, linked below. In about 10 minutes, he gives the best overview I've seen of what makerspaces, hackerspaces and co-working spaces have to offer, for individual participants and the community at large.
James Carlson is the founder of the School Factory, the makerspace Bucketworks and BarCamp Milwaukee, among many other things. When he's not traveling across the globe, spreading his vision of the new school and open learning methods, he can likely be found at Bucketworks in Milwaukee, WI. Follow him on Twitter @hypnagogic.
Leave a comment: Tell us about an experience at a hacker-, maker- or co-working space that has changed how you communicate with those around you.
