Innovation for Autism Spectrum Disorder #Innovation4ASD
Innovation for Autism Spectrum Disorder – Parents and Caregivers STEM Skills Workshop
What
Having observed over time a lack of STEM learning opportunities for our Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community within Australia. Urban Maker is focused on a social inclusion mission which bridges the gap on STEM services for individuals with ASD. The Innovation for ASD initiative aims to equip participants with valuable life skills anchored in STEM and entrepreneurial experiences. Through this initiative, Urban Maker aims to create a more inclusive future by providing opportunities to learn, solve, design and test solutions developed by our community of special Innovators.
Why
The Initiative is developing well and we have learned lots and fine tuned the content to provide an empowering and impactful experience for participants. The following is an overview of the progress so far, albeit with development time worked around important family and day-jobs.
November 2022 to Present – Stage 1 – One on one entrepreneurial mentorship. Creating a flexible Innovation journey with a local teenage participant, who had a drive to learn how to run his own business. The mentorship followed a product development path focused on a home security device for windows and sliding doors. The product was branded as Track-Lock, and provided process design (manufacturing), economics/marketing (MS Excel balance sheet/Facebook/Market Stall) and product testing skills and experiences.
August 2023 to October 2023 – Stage 2 – Parent or Carer and Child innovation workshop. A 2.5 hour workshop was designed as detailed below and delivered to three separate families with a total of four kids, two boys and two girls as the target learners. The workshop was held at the Townsville City Council Riverway Library Mixhaus MakerSpace. This proved to be an effective environment, enabled by digital design terminals, industry standard tooling (3D printers, 3D scanner, Laser CNC) and was extremely conducive to learning. With feedback in hand, the curriculum has been updated, including extending to 3hrs to dedicate a 1hr timeslot on Tinkercad.
October 2023 to Present – Testing the Design Thinking-Sketch-Digital model creation – process flow. All while using free online digital tooling including Tinkercad and desktop 3D printing software, to reduce the participation (overhead) costs; adopting the open-source mantra of the global maker community. Local market participation has seen a steady increase in sales of unique, but simple products, as we tweak the target market designs, ensuring scaling is achievable though leveraging 3D printing and resin mould manufacturing techniques.
February 2024 – Purchased additional printer – Bambulabs A1 with 4 colour auto material selection unit. This provides an ability to teach the latest multi-colour lithophanes, custom LED light strips and custom artwork techniques. This is an exciting capability and we are still learning and will develop the techniques over 2024.
January 2024 to Present – Stage 3 – Parent or Carer Innovation workshop. This is our current endeavor, and aimed to up-skill and teach participants about the raft of Maker online digital support networks, that can support STEM learning in the home. Given the onset of AI fusion within our society, a Generative AI module has been added, however, the hypothesis for the latest delivery workshop is; will we have enough time for this module, or is this going to fall into a second workshop design and offering?
Purpose
My son is Autistic and I am learning how he learns due to having a intellectual disability. Developing a simple, supported technical process flow aims to empower not only him, but others with ASD. Note that this curriculum is aimed for those with low education skills and is likely suitable for neuro-typical kids, adults and elderly who have basic computer skills (email MS Office).
Status Completed
Process
- This phase consists of updating the previous phase’s learning plan, purchasing key resources and delivering the content.
- Also included is support from a mentee, who is a 16yo boy, who is home schooled and on the spectrum. This is an opportunity to test how he goes, after having mentored him for the last 18 months.
- We are also running this in a different location, being DAKTECH MakerSpace, which is different to the Riverway Library MakerSpace, both layout and available resources.
- We have had interest from NDIS support providers, with two signed up along with the adult ASD client. This is an interesting turn, to see the value NDIS support providers gain from the workshop.
Resources
BYO laptop
MakerSpace provided terminals x10
USB Drives – one per person
Printouts of the Design Thinking Process
Basic sketching resources being pencils, erasers and pads.
Large monitor for presentation
Two reliable 3D printers
Estimated cost $150
Estimated time 3 days
Places
Anticipated outcomes Social, Economic
Social through empowering those who support people with ASD and who have ASD in generating skills that will help them both engage with others, and generate income. The skills can also be easily taught to others once participants become confident in their own skills, further extending the skill benefits to our local community.
This translates across to bolstering our local economy, through potential for either service support or sales of items designed and manufactured using additive or subtractive manufacturing process.
Related dream(s)
Industries that may relate to this project arts, education, Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific, Technical Services, Technology
People who could help with this project
Likeminded makers and creators who have a desire to support the less fortunate
Places that could help with this project
MakerSpaces
Businesses willing to sponsor, noting this is all volunteer based.
Organisations that could help with this project
Autism support agencies
Related to the initiative:
Project first added by human Andrew Schubert on June 18, 2024 at 6:01 pm.
Recently updated by human Andrew Schubert on June 18, 2024 at 6:01 pm.
COMMENTS
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An excellent project!
From Michael Bromage on July 6, 2024 at 3:32 pm
