Guided by our mission -

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• Guided by our mission -
• To foster independent thinking and enrich the
  lives of all children by creating a welcoming
  environment where they can develop learning
  skills and knowledge through the exploration of
  HANDS-ON interactive exhibits and educational
  programs which are rooted in science, technology,
  engineering and mathematics (STEM).

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What we do

• Focus is children ages 0 to 14, with EDUtainment
  opportunities for all ages!
• Self-directed staff-guided exploration
• Focused outreach programs
• Professional development
• Volunteer Internship opportunities for high
  school college students
• Research opportunities for college faculty
• Resource for educators- Lesson Plans online, OH
  WOW! Moments

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Training tomorrows innovators todayUsing
PDCA to encourage innovative thinking

• Audra Carlson- Education Manager
• March 23, 2013

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What is pdca?
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Why continuous improvement?

• Its not necessary to change. Survival is not
  mandatory
• Edward Deming

The U.S. should implement and evaluate new
methods for enhancing science students'
innovative thinking to keep the United States as
a worldwide leader in scientific discovery. -
Roberta Ness, PhD. University of Texas School of
Public Health
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MAKER SPACE
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plan

• Identify the problem.
• Decide on measurable outcomes desired.
• Develop plan of action. Less is more here.

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do

• Put plan into effect.
• Start with small scale implementation.

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Check

• Evaluate results or product.
• Do results meet specifications of Plan phase?

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act

• If successful, implement improvements on a larger
  scale.
• If not, brainstorm possible solutions.
• How can this idea be improved upon even more?
• Spiral process, always repeating.

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Always improving with PDCA!
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references

Ness, R. (2012, October). Commentary Teaching
creativity and innovative thinking in medicine
and the health sciences. Houston, Texas, United
States. Roock, A. (2012, October 08). Applying
the PDCA Cycle in Knowledge Work. Hamburg,
Vienna, Germany. Sangam, V. (2010, August 27).
Warehouse Key Performance Indicators. Retrieved
03 20, 2013, from Suppply Chain World
http//vijaysangamworld.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/
warehouse- key-performance-indicators/
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Suggested readings
http//asq.org/learn-about-quality/project-plannin
g-tools/overview/pdca-cycle.html - Award-winning
New York school system that utilizes PDCA.
http//www.swopehealth.org/images/Quality_PDCA_Cyc
le.gif - image on slide 2 http//www.asa3.org/ASA
/education/think/thinking-ft.pdf
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Airplane launcher challenge

• Challenge
• Due to the popularity of OH WOW!s Paper Airplane
  Launcher, our gift shop has received many
  requests from museum guests to sell a smaller
  version of it. Your job is to design a unique
  Paper Airplane Launcher that will be sold as a
  toy in The Techs gift shop! Your challenge is to
  build a simple toy with its own propulsion
  mechanism that will move a paper airplane at
  least 12 inches (without using your energy to
  directly move it).
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• Design Specifications
• Your airplane must move at least 12 inches,
  without using your energy to directly move it. 
• Your toy must store and transform energy in some
  way to move your airplane. 
• You can only use the materials available.
• Each group member must participate in the design,
  construction, and operation of the toy.
• You will be allowed to test your toy as you work.
  (Just dont poke an eye out!)