ILXO/workshops

Workshops run from 1-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the topic at hand. Have something you'd like to see? Something you're not so interested in? We'd love to have your feedback!

Scheduling a workshop

Want us to host a workshop? No problem!

1. Send an email to workshops@ilxo.org specifying...
   • Name of the workshop
   • Your desired date and time
   • Number of attendees (minimum 10)
   • Your contact information - A phone number would be fantastic
   • A little about yourself, or your organization
   • Preferred location
2. We'll be in touch shortly to set up a date and time.
3. After a workshop session, please, please, please send us your feedback! We want to know what makes the learning effective, sessions run efficiently, and such, and make this information public so that others can make use of our lessons.

Things to note:

• Please notify us at least a week in advance if you're requesting a workshop so we can set up our schedules accordingly.
• Workshops will be available from June 20th to August 12th.
• Workshops are free! (We suggest a $20 donation per participant) There may be a materials cost for certain activities such as knitting. This will be clearly noted with its description.
• We're pretty flexible - if you have any particular requests, feel free to let us know. Though I can't make any promises, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs.

Workshops

Active Workshops

XO-101: An Introduction

Have an XO but haven't had a chance to find out what it can do? We will provide an overview of the activities bundled with the XO, as well as the basics of finding and downloading new content for it. We'll also be examining its use in an educational context and its capacity for collaboration. This workshop is intended for those who have had less exposure to XOs and/or OLPC.

Time: 2 hours

XO Disassembly and Repair

We may not like to admit it, but laptops - yes, even XOs - can sometimes break. We'll go over both top and bottom disassembly, such that by the end of the session, you'll be confident in your abilities to replace an XO's screen or keyboard. Come admire the hardware design and the nifty construction of the XO! (We've done disassembly many times - it's much less scary with someone showing you the way.)

Time: 2 hours

WikiHalps

Communication is an essential part of any successful venture. We'll be discussing the channels of communication used by OLPC, with a focus on the Wiki (it is admittedly rather non-intuitive). We may also discuss IRC, forums, and mailing lists as a means of bringing people together.

Time: 1 hour

Running a Jam

This is workshop is intended for anyone who's ever said "I want to run a Jam - what do I do to make it happen?" The entire process takes between 3 weeks and 3 months to plan, depending on your timescale and the scope of your Jam, but we'll provide an overview from the "I think a Jam sounds like a great idea" phase all the way through planning, acquiring resources for, running, and following-up on a Jam.

Time: 3 hours

Coming Soon

These will be ready to go within a week or two of our arrival in Chicago (by June 27th).

Music Composition

This workshop will explore uses of the TamTam Suite. Learn about the recording capabilities, and, if you're feeling ambitious, write your own multi-instrument piece in TamTam Edit! Music theory topics covered will include the basics of major and minor scales, key signatures, rhythm, harmony, though content can be shaped more to the intended audience.

Time: 1 hour

How Laptops Are Made

Learn about the XOs design for manufacturability (dfm) - why are the separate parts shaped the way they are? In addition to the examination of the XO's construction, we will also be discussing the environmental impact of the XO.

Photography & filmmaking

The XO may not be the most sophisticated media recording device out on the market, but why not make use of Record? Learn about basic photography and videography techniques. After all, composition tips are just as applicable to the XO! We'll go other basic photographic techniques on the XO and also cover some of the basics for filmmaking.

Inventors' Workshop

Learn the many techniques that designers use to develop new products and services. This workshop is an introduction to the design process that integrates user and functional design when using the XO. We'll observe and engage different people to find what needs they have and make inventions that try to address those needs. This class is part journalism, part brainstorming and part model making.

This would probably be a multi-day event, but we might be able to simplify this into a single introductory class.

Knitting for XOs

Learn the basics of knitting (knit and purl) by making a carrying-strap for your XO! It'll allow you to tote your XO around with you but keep your hands free, too. (For those looking for a bit more utility, we can supply a pattern to knit a reasonably XO-sized bag - some sewing required, unfortunately.)

Materials fee: TBD

Time: 1 hour (Note- this time will probably not be sufficient to complete a strap, but it will be enough to learn the stitches needed to do so)