Project Zero Perspectives: Making, Thinking, Understanding

The contemporary maker movement has been described as a return to the DIY (do-it-yourself) movement of the 1960s and ‘70s. Now, as then, the proposed benefits of engaging children in DIY learning experiences range from heightened expertise in STEM subjects to increased creative capacities for young people. While few makers and educators would argue against the content-area and creativity-based learning outcomes associated with DIY activities, some, such as Make magazine columnist David Lang, have suggested that the “DIY” moniker is in itself a misnomer for maker-centered learning: Making isn’t about doing things oneself; instead, it is about collectively engaging in innovation networks together. During this hands-on course, Project Zero researcher Edward Clapp will engage participants in a series of fast-paced design challenges that emphasize the do-it-together nature of maker-centered learning experiences. The ultimate goal is to provide participants with first-hand experience in group-based creative problem-solving activities, while also offering strategies for incorporating these activities—and others like them—into an array of learning environments.