(Picture from the now defunct MYR Cowork)
I’m a big fan of CoWorking. Ever since the idea started to emerge, I would seek these spaces out when I traveled. I prefer CoWorking spaces over coffee shops as they often provide “nooks and crannies” for different styles of work along with an increased potential for connecting with others.
CoWorking spaces provide room for “the social gathering of a group of people who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with people who value working in the same place alongside each other.” (Wikipedia)
The MSU Hub is hosting a series of Pop-Up CoWork events in Spring 2016. The pop-ups are intended to be short term, relevant, just in time opportunities to work with others around campus. The pop-ups are completely open, unstructured and user-generated. It is my goal to get students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni to attend and work together.
It’s not typically the case that a coworking space would have a particular objective or focus, but, we’re co-opting some ideas here (combining cowork atmosphere with the pop-up movement) as we’re experimenting this semester. For example, our first pop-up cowork on January 5th focused broadly on “Data and Analytics.” The group started out working together, then, as we were working ended up breaking off into other workgroups – which – was exactly what I had hoped would happen. I could feel a bit of anxiety/fear that we all had to stay together, but, that is not the point of the cowork space. Often, I go there to work alone! It’s the potential promise in having creative people together at the same time and same place that makes the CoWorking space compelling.
As I was cleaning up from our first CoWork the day, I found these notes left behind:
In digging through the digital detritus left behind, I found this tweet:
Great place to ask techie ?s –> MI Ed Tech Specialists Google+ community https://t.co/1QfmiYPLgR#MSUhub
— Mary Wever (@WeverWorld) January 5, 2016
This tweet was generated by a question posted by a Music faculty member working on a project with schools in Detroit. Mary is the Director of the MAET certificate programs. It’s not very likely Mary & Mark would have been in the same place at the same time – the cowork environment helped to build the potential for this connection to occur.
If you have not experienced a co-work space before, expect a coffee shop-like atmosphere, but, with people who are eager to talk and help each other.
We have 3 more pop-ups scheduled (and more to come) – you can find more info on The Hub Facebook page (working on getting this out on more social media/calendars.) You do not have to RSVP (but are more than welcome to do so) and if you’re not specifically interested in the topic at hand, you can still come and work on other things.
January 19: Pop-Up Co-Work #2: GTD (Get Things Done)
Location: 301 Nisbet Building (easy parking!)
9am-1pm
Co-Work #2 will be an opportunity for you to bring your current challenges, ideas and inspirations to the table. If you need a quiet corner to concentrate, we have that! If you need to bounce ideas off of others, we have that too! Come join us for a few hours of Getting Things Done!
February 12: Pop-Up Co-Work #3: Composition
Location: 301 Nisbet Building (easy parking!)
9am-1pm
Co-Work #3 will be an opportunity to focus on composing. Composing is a cross-disciplinary act that appears in rhetoric, writing, film, music and beyond. Come join us to create, experience & compose.
February 26: Pop-Up Co-Work #4: Feedback
Location: 301 Nisbet Building (easy parking!)
9am-1pm
Co-Work #4 will be an opportunity to focus on feedback. Feedback is a crucial component of educative experiences. Join us to work together to discuss modes, methods and models.
Use the comments section here, or #MSUHub on twitter to suggest specific topics or creative cowork needs. In the future we will be expanding the coworks out of the Nisbet building and will be holding pop-up co-work opportunities all across campus.
I look forward to seeing you there!