Resource:How to organize a Makeathon

Contents

Introduction

Makeathons are an excellent way of collaborating with students from all around campus in different majors. It enables them to use their creativity to innovate and explore new ideas that they may have. It is a competition, but it is focused on learning rather than winning. Its purpose is to help students gain experience with the process of design and the use of equipment that they would normally miss out on in the classroom. 

Goals for Makeathon

• Develop passion and hands on skills with tools and other machinery
• Connect with resources and other participants invest in people have a good experience and want to come back the next year to mentor/help
• less about competition, more about learning/form relationships/have fun
• Diversity of Students across all majors get faculty and admin to advertise to students
• Safety
• Funding
• Advice/realization next steps for courses to take and professors to talk to

Where To Begin

Funding

• Supplies and other equipment tools

Advertising

• Use Eventbrite for tickets
• Advertise for a long period of time=more participants
• Spread word of mouth
• Make posters around campus 11x17
• Create facebook event, use money to spread word
• Class vistis
• Email professors of relevant classes

Rules

• Experience not required, all makers welcome
• Teams allowed in without an idea
• Must be a student attending our school (liability issue otherwise)
• Must attend a safety training during the event
• Sign informal waiver (power tools, safety, etc.)

Create Theme

• "Grand Challenges" - worlds biggest problems

Where The Session Should be Located

• Makerlab
• Big open area
• Lots of rooom for tables and chairs and power equipment

Materials Needed

• Pipe cleaners
• Craft supplies
• Duct tape
• Spray paint
• Wood/metal/plastic stock
• Hardware/fasteners
• Faculty mentors
• Hand power tools
• 3D printers
• Large machining equipment (CNC's, lathes...)

Running the Makeathon

Dates and Times

• Weekend long (Friday - Saturday or Sunday)
• Give them an open ended task, dont make anything too specific, build anything they want to!!
• Friday - form teams, mingling, music, food, meet new people, Brainstorm, learn prompt, choose what they build
• Saturday - mentors/profs help with the build, student volunteers tell them where supplies located, judging takes place at end of day
• Allow enough time or appropiate time for prototyping and brainstorming

Judging

• Students create 5 pwpt slides based on template

1. Context
2. Need Statement
3. How solution addresses the problem
4. What you did this weekend
5. Free Slide
6. Present in front of judges

• Decide who will be judges? (Mentors. professors?)
• Vote for crowd favorite?
• Will there be prizes for the winner? should be more about learning-will attract more students

Continuing Their Ideas

• Give students advice and help on what their next steps want to be
• Courses to take in the future etc