Since it impossible not to have a
personal connection to anything that
one makes, stories began to form of
how these cyborgs became who they
are now. At the conclusion of this
project, students began to write these
stories down. In addition to naming
their cyborgs, students typed
explanations of these characters,
provided them with backstories filled
with pain turning into personal growth.
Some used their new abilities for good
and some were just discovering them,
but all were amazingly detailed and
intentional.
While the students were typing, I could
not help but delight in the cyclical irony
of using technology to generate a
biography of a new handmade
character made from technology that
had been discarded. I suppose one
person’s trash really can become a
treasure when placed in the hands of
the creative.
Lauren Hodson is a middle school visual and computer arts teacher in Plymouth, Massachusetts. She is
passionate about STEAM, arts integration, and providing avenues to increase creativity and teacher
confidence in and through the arts. She holds a BFA in Art Education and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and
Instruction.
STEAMed Magazine
29
July 2016 Edition