“How is this making to learn and not just making stuff?”
Maker projects can engage students and improve learning experiences in K-12 academic classes. Integrating open-ended, hands-on, creative activities with cool tools in an academic classroom helps students develop tech skills, make personal connections to the content, formulate and resolve their own questions, and express their learning. Plus, doing a maker project in one class creates a positive attitude that carries on to the next, even if it isn’t a STEAM class.
In their talk at Maker Faire Bay Area, Diane Brancazio and Justin Schmidt shared resources on how to get a maker culture going in school. They presented sample projects and spoke about project design, teacher practices, and makerspace setup.
Maker projects also reduce barriers to students taking STEM classes and pursuing a technical career path by giving them skills and familiarity with current technologies. The K-12 Maker team from the MIT Edgerton Center supports teachers in bringing these experiences to their students.
The Maker Lab prepares teachers to lead engaging and relevant learning experiences. Teachers can give their students the tools to create, the courage to fail, and the empathy to solve problems as a community. They offer professional development workshops and free online resources.
They know what they’re talking about. Diane Brancazio and Justin also brought DIY Pinball to Maker Faire, which was a big hit.
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