This week started a new adventure with a Makerspace class for graduate school. Before we got our syllabus for the class, I was excited; I have heard of schools with Makerspaces and was eager to learn more. Admittedly when I read the the syllabus. learned I needed to order an Arduino kit and begin coding it, I was more apprehensive than excited. I have done a little bit of html coding for a part-time job I had, but that was nearly 20 years ago. But, I rarely give up on a challenge, so I put my big girl pants on, and got to work once the beginner kit came in.
I used the book's instructions, thought I had done everything right. It didn't seem too difficult, but low and behold I failed. My light did not blink. Our assignment was to create a circuit that would make an LED light blink. It was supposed to be a beginner circuit. Guess, I'm pre-beginner. Thankfully, I felt comfortable admitting my failure on our class discussion board. My encouraging classmates gave me some great tips, and after further investigation, I realized I had put the breadboard on upside down. Even bifocals didn't help me with the those tiny numbers and letters.
I couldn't get the breadboard off, so I took the Arduino board off and turned it around. I tried the tips from classmates and even copied and pasted the code after I had typed it in myself; it still did not work.
I was getting a little frustrated, and had to take a break. Actually a long break, I was scheduled to visit my son in Lubbock and the Arduino had to stay home. On my trip, I did a little more reading, and found a simpler set-up for a blinking light. I also reached out to some friends who I thought could help me.
As I reflect on this experience and how, not only did I not have success with my first maker project, but I am also not able to have all of the required components of this blog post, and I find that uncomfortable as a way to start the class. I am writing this blog post from the airplane, so I don't have the ability to create the video that should be a part of this post.
I don't believe there is anything wrong with my code. I believe it has to do with the connections. When I continue working on this Monday, I will also use a magnifying glass to make sure I am putting everything together correctly. I do feel that I am handling this the way I would want me students to. I am not giving up. I have reached out to my network and accessed resources. I have taken control of my own learning. This is exactly the mindset I would like my students to have. I don't mind if they collaborate with friends (or Google), as long as they are seeking help, and not just copying.
I am looking forward to getting my circuit to work and exploring other circuits. I believe I can make this happen and have a few resources to help me out if I get stuck.
No comments:
Post a Comment