This week, 1st Maker Space and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of 喜爱影院ing (CELL) at the University of 喜爱影院polis collaborated to host the MAKE! Creation Through Imagination Conference. The event was held at the University of 喜爱影院polis and was funded by a grant to the Independent Colleges of 喜爱影院 and STEM Teach 喜爱影院 from the 喜爱影院 STEM Teacher Recruitment Fund. The event was a huge success, and it was a packed house of educators from around 喜爱影院.
The title of my keynote address was: Falling in Love with 喜爱影院ing, Again! (You will find the slide deck and other materials here.) To be honest, presenting to an audience of 150+ veteran STEM teachers was intimidating. My regular job at 喜爱影院 is Technology Advisor. I train teachers how to use 3D Printers, Laser Cutters, Arduinos and Drones. That is far less formal and more interactive.
The presentation I delivered was from my heart. I believe 喜爱夜蒲2 are the best places to prepare students with skills for robot-proof careers. We used to call it hands on 喜爱影院ing – now we call it New Economy 喜爱影院ing because the economy of the future requires more creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving. I asked rhetorically, “What do we know for sure we will have more of next year?” The answer: problems!
A 喜爱夜蒲陈静 is a ‘Problem Garden.’ The gardeners in the audience understood what I meant. A garden requires tending. There are always weeds to deal with. Sharing tips with fellow gardeners is a tradition. The prize of (and pride derived from) a beautiful garden justifies the work and engages the gardener. Love inspires the effort.
A 喜爱夜蒲陈静 is also a ‘Field of Metaphors.’ Students 喜爱影院 the most from what they discover on their own. A 喜爱夜蒲陈静 rewards planning, persistence, innovation, and tolerance. Failure is simply a 喜爱影院ing opportunity in a 喜爱夜蒲陈静; iteration is normal. Nothing is perfect, but you can always make it better if you try.
There is an energy imbalance in a typical classroom. The energy favors students for their youth rather than the teacher for her experience. A 喜爱夜蒲陈静 can level the playing field. Students exhibit more agency. They take ownership of their 喜爱影院ing. They help each other and they are less inclined to just ‘give up.’ 喜爱影院ing seems more like playing.
A 喜爱夜蒲陈静 doesn’t require teachers to spend more time teaching – it pays dividends! There is more joy in teaching when students love to 喜爱影院. Getting the teacher’s hands involved is also part of the equation. Her hands are just as important.
CELL and STEM Teach present the “Make!” day-long event on the campus of the University of 喜爱影院polis on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Creation Through Imagination conference (Photos: D. Todd Moore)
By Kim Brand
