Ryan Jenkins's Blog, page 3
April 5, 2025
Martian Windmills at Weltraum Festival
Last week I participated in the Weltraum fest at Raumschiff, the Makerspace for Astronomy in the Dubendorf neighborhood of Zurich and shared a remixed project out of my...
March 20, 2025
Packable Cardboard Workshop Elements
During the last few months, I’ve been traveling around the world hosting events for “The Tinkering Workshop” book tour with hands-on activities taken from the pages of ...
March 18, 2025
March 13, 2025
Books and Articles to Inspire Tinkering with AI
As part of my current prototyping work on developing new ways to tinker with AI tools and technologies alongside NEXUS Experiments, I’ve been reading and learning from a wide variety of sources to get new (and return to old) ideas and inspirations. Here are a couple of the books and articles that have resonated with me recently as I’ve been exploring the possibilities for creative and playful AI projects.
...March 11, 2025
UK Book Tour for The Tinkering Workshop
This past week I had an amazing time in the UK sharing my book, “The Tinkering Workshop” through playful experimental workshops for kids, families and educators in London, Exeter, Hastings and Cambridge. These events were also supported by the British Science Week organization and hosted by libraries, makerspaces and museums.
...March 10, 2025
Tinkering with AI Tools, Scratchlab and Makey Makey
I’m starting to explore how AI-based tools can support creative and playful tinkering with connections to real world materials and chances for collaborations. I’m working with the NEXUS experiments team at Freiburg University (as part of the HRRC) and together we’re hoping to create workshops that build up learners' sense of agency using AI technologies. In the spring I’m leading a three day workshop with local high school students, educators and researchers to try out some new prototypes across...
February 26, 2025
Collaged Character Animations with AI
I’m currently collaborating with the NEXUS Experiments lab at Freiburg University to develop playful and creative workshops with AI tools and programs. The work is part of the HRRC (Human Rights Research Consortium) Emancipatory AI project that connects researchers and practitioners across Baden-Württemberg and Connecticut to share ideas and prototypes across different settings. In the fall of last year I hosted an initial meeting with educators from local schools, libraries and youth programs t...
February 11, 2025
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February 10, 2025
Fireplace Fan Motor Experiments
In a recent blog post I wrote about some of the challenges that have come up in the process of developing new prototypes for energy harvesting exhibits. Despite the frustrations, I’m excited to keep exploring new materials and ideas for this project.
...February 7, 2025
The Tinkering Workshop EU & UK Tour Kicks Off!
Over the next several months I’ll be traveling around Europe sharing playful prompts and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of my book, The Tinkering Workshop! I’m so excited to reconnect with old friends and meet parents, kids and educators interested in making and tinkering as a way of learning.
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