A ‘Tremendous and Curious World’ of Learning
I need to make a confession: I’m perplexed by the concept of Maker Education.
Recently, both personally and professionally, I was immersed in both the ‘Tremendous and Curious World of Beakerhead’ (@Beakerhead, beakerhead.org) and the Calgary Mini Maker Faire (@MakerFaireYYC) and I know I’m not alone in being fascinated by the group of people that shared their creations at these events. Creations that didn’t necessarily make the world a better place but instead reflected the passion and vision of the people who designed them.
It is obvious that makers believe in having the freedom to create what they want, when they want. The amount of learning buried within the final product of their efforts is likely beyond measure. Makers live in a world of personal challenge and growth. A world in which they are constantly learning and developing new skills within the process of creation. A world that I find myself wanting to be a part of and one in which I want to be leader for my students.
Here, however, is where I become unsure: How can we, as educators and learners, capture this spirit in the classroom? Do we not run the risk ‘co-opting the concept of making’ (quote via @dana_pal) by restricting the students' ideas with assessment criteria and task requirements?
Despite the inner turmoil, there are things I am certain about; I know for sure that I’ve always been interested in the idea of making in the classroom, well before the label was created. I also know that I now believe that maker education is as much about design thinking as it is the Maker Movement. I believe in freedom of expression within the classroom and I’ve learned that the open feel of making can be created through careful task design and a deep understanding of your learners.
Yet, I remain unsure about the concept of maker education.
And that’s a good thing.
This confusion is creating a beautiful tension that is driving me to think; thinking about the inclusion of big ideas around constructionism within the context of curriculum and how to honour the ideals of making while ensuring individual learning is captured in a clear and concise manner.
So, what have I learned? I’ve learned I’m drawing closer to the edge of understanding being developed through the active exploration of these ideals. It’s both scary and exhilarating, filled with challenges that promise personal rewards in the weeks to come.
After all, isn't that what making is all about?
Brian Simmons (@bw_simmons): Father, Husband, Nerd.
4 Comments
Jennifer George
9/19/2014 03:20:39 am
I enjoyed the honesty of your submission and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes by M. Grumet (1988) "Wilderness…always slightly terrified I welcome its disorder and my own ignorance of it. I both fear it and yearn to get lost in it. And so the wilderness we find when we leave the pine straw path in the woods reminds me that I am correlate of this world."
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Erin
9/19/2014 01:07:25 pm
Thank you for capturing the thoughtful struggle many of us face when we try to make learning engaging and purposeful for our kids.
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Chris Southworth
9/19/2014 11:38:17 pm
Hi Brian,
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Julie Quennell
9/30/2014 05:06:31 pm
Hey Brian. I look forward to chatting soon and seeing your class as this totally resonates with where I am at in my exploration of makerspace. Ever since going to Iste Atlanta this summer I've been left with many ideas to explore. Looking forward to sharing ideas.
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