The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Members of the Education Technology Council (ETCATA) rolled up their sleeves during a two-day workshop on project-based learning at Barnett House April 4 and 5. The event included the creation of a singing and dancing tiki bird using crafting supplies, a robotics kit and coding software loaded onto a laptop. Hosted by authors Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary Stager, the Invent to Learn workshop moved to Calgary April 7 and 8.

Photos by Cory Hare

Wife and husband team Trish and Cory Roffey prepare to unleash their Yoda angry bird on the world.

Stephanie Radomski of St. Anne Elementary School works to stabilize her group’s bird robot.

This is one of about a dozen robotic tiki birds created by teachers learning the ins and outs of project-based learning at the Invent to Learn workshop in Edmonton.

John Knechtel of St. Rose Junior High School, in Edmonton, checks out a bird with LED eyeballs and cardboard wings that flap.

A workshop participant appears unsure whether her group’s bird will stand up and/or perform as programmed.

Cara Ostapowich of Monseigneur William Irwin Catholic School,
in Edmonton, concentrates as she programs a computer to control the movements of her group’s tiki bird.

Tinkerers’ tweets

Christine Quong@c_quong: Loved this morning’s tiki bird challenge! So many awesome creations.

Stephanie Radomski@stepherski: So many ways to make a bird! Great day at #inventtolearn.

Catherine D@Catherine_D2013: Love that everyone had a different bird invention.

Cory Roffey@coryroffey: BEST DAY AT WORK EVER!!!!