Stemiverse 0056 – Gil Poznanski discusses thinking like a maker, exploring ideas and peer-to-peer learning 

In this episode, Peter talks with Gil Poznanski.

Gil is all about engaging people with technology.

As an international leader in the Maker community, inspiring speaker and teacher, Gil has spent the last eight years building a proven track record in developing STEM and Maker environments and is excited by the challenge of harnessing technology in new and innovative ways.

Gil is always looking for the personal narrative in every project and shares it with as many people as possible.

Gil is currently the Creative Technologies Lead at the Department of Education NSW helping shape STEAM within the public education sector. In the past, he worked with the City of Melbourne running the Makerspace at the Library @ the Dock in Docklands, as well as developed and deployed the Creative Technologies Hub for Hobsons Bay City Council.

In our discussion, we drill into Gil’s previous life in the movie industry in Los Angeles and how his learnings and experiences lead to his re-invention as the “Kosher Tony Stark.” We talk about his experiments with cutting edge technology, prototyping, how he’s using social media and YouTube to expand his reach, and much more.

This is Stemiverse Podcast episode 56.

Stemiverse podcast is brought to you by Tech Explorations, a leading provider of educational resources for Makers, STEM students, and teachers. Go to techexplorations.com to see a complete list of our books and courses covering the Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and electronics.

Show Notes

• [0:00:00] Introduction – Introducing Gil Poznanski
• [0:02:08] Greetings
• [0:03:12] Gil talks about his background in media arts, his studies at UCLA, and his work in the film and television industry
• [0:07:31] Gil’s experience with using 3D printing technology as a tool to create prototype props for films
• [0:09:01] How this experience brought Gil to the maker’s movement
• [0:11:38] Thinking like a maker: Does it come naturally or is it something one needs to learn?
• [0:15:05] Exploring ideas, and how prototyping in 3D digital or physical space allows us to understand and improve upon these ideas
• [0:17:25] Have the desire to create something and share it with the world
• [0:21:54] The minimal cost of experimentation today compared with the 80s and 90s, and how it has impacted the growth of the maker culture and the global maker community
• [0:22:40] Jimmy DiResta
• [0:23:57] Gil talks about his return to Australia and how he created a full-sized operational Dalek (Orange Blend) from the television show Doctor Who
• [0:29:26] Connected Community HackerSpace (“HackMelbourne”)
• [0:31:30] Melbourne Library Services: Makerspaces
• [0:31:53] Quote from Gil’s about page: “I spent years watching from the sidelines while people created amazing things while I wondered why it seemed so easy for them, but not for me.”
• [0:35:54] Don’t be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid to fail
• [0:39:47] The examples of Elon Musk and Warren Buffet
• [0:40:28] How giving permission to fail can be implemented in the traditional school system
• [0:41:23] How humans evolved and developed peer-to-peer learning, creativity, and communication
• [0:46:40] Creativity, complexity and technology required in blue-collar jobs
• [0:49:16] Innovative ways in which Gil uses technology to be a better teacher
• [0:52:33] What makes a successful workshop?
• [0:56:24] DNA sequencers (handheld devices)
• [1:00:57] In the next 5-10 years the technological development that Gil sees influencing the way we teach and learn is none other than Artificial Reality (AR)
• [1:05:12] Rapid Fire Questions
  • [1:05:20] Gil’s favorite application: The YouTube app
  • [1:06:10] The Makers Monday, Gil’s YouTube project that introduces you to a new maker each week
  • [1:08:54] How Gil does his coding: He mostly uses Notepad, Blockly, Scratch, BBC Micro:bit with Visual Studio Code, and is interested in delving into Python & MicroPython
  • [1:10:31] Gil’s method and advice: Choose the one tool that allows you to achieve your target outcome as quickly as possible
  • [1:12:13] Parting thoughts, dos and don’ts: “Don’t be afraid to fail; go with the thing that excites you.”
• [1:14:21] Gil’s Contact Information:
  • Instagram: @koshertonystark
  • Twitter: @koshertonystark
  • Facebook page
  • Facebook profile
  • YouTube Channel
  • T4L TV