About Scavenger Labs


A Summary of our Objectives and Activities

Scavenger Activities

All of our activities can be undertaken with Kids, Families or Adults.

Workshops

You can see an up to date list our workshops on our workshops page here.

Some of our recent projects include the setting up of Todmorden Makery and the #iwill social action project.

Scavenger Labs People and Places

We are based in Todmorden and Hebden Bridge with a public workshop and education space in Tod College called Todmorden Makery and a making workshop in the Big Tin Shed in Hebden Bridge. Workshops

The directors of Scavenger Labs are Stephen Summers and Mick Chesterman but we work with a quite a few local partners on projects and to deliver specialist workshops. See our Scavenger Labs people page here .

Scavenger Objectives

Working with Young People & Families

  • Empowerment and confidence as creators and users of technology for young people and their families
  • Undertaking activities that act as tools to talk about technology and the environment
  • Gaining practical skills in coding and basic electronics

Working with Adults

  • Transferable skills concerning the recycling and maintenance of electronic equipment
  • Wider knowledge of the impact of digital technology to foster a growing community of informed, responsible users.
  • Community building and wider objectives
  • Foster a network of volunteer makers and breakers to deliver activities sustainably
  • Build resources and educational resources for this community and wider online networks
  • Promote innovation in use of technology focused on community approaches

About Universal Design for Learning

UDL encourages teachers to create diverse ways to engage pupils, to represent the ideas being communicated and for students to express their own ideas. The key ideas emerged from the arena of designing computer aided instruction have been revised to into a framework that applies to diverse teaching and learning settings. According to the USA Center on Universal Design for Learning, “UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone—not a single, one-size-fits-all solution, but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs.”

Universal design for learning is based around the principle that rather than designing separate activities and support for learners with different educational needs in the classroom - often labelled accommodations for disability - it is possible to embrace a set of guidelines that allow learners to choose a learning pathway through a designed learning experience that suits their individual abilities and learning strategies.

At Scavenger Labs we design our workshops to embrace the ideas of Universal Design for Learning. This involves lots of hands-on activities, projects and a variety of ways to share back learning and monitor understanding.