The Big Ideas

Workshop Priorities/Outcomes

The Big Ideas:

1. What Defines Making?
2. How Making Joins Your Curriculum
3. How Making Crosses Your Curriculum
4. Operating under Assumptions about and Knowledge of How People Learn
5. The Lunchtime Sandbox (big thoughts on learner practices as makers)
6. Changing Learning via Making (Real Life Stories)
7. How are teachers) already makers? How are kids already makers?
8. How do students and teachers become learning assessors together?

Core Outcomes for Teacher and Student Learners:

• Teachers will be excited about and can explain the Inspired Innovation Center to a colleague
• Teachers can articulate a clear understanding of next action steps they can take during the first 45 days of the school year (preschool week to mid-semester) with intention support and expand a larger school maker community
• Teachers are comfortable supporting 2-3 "foot holds"/entry projects that can be used with other teachers, not in attendance, to engage learners in the fall
• Teachers can use a 4-question co-planning routine to co-plan how maker projects connect with curriculum and habits of mind through consideration of space, culture, technologies, and pedagogies.

• Students will become more intrinsically motivated.
• Students will learn to trust their curiosity.
• Students will learn to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, research efficiently, and to design empathetically.
• Students will understand assessment and evaluation as an ongoing process toward competence, rather than as a goal.
• Students will appreciate the gifts brought to the community by every child.

Human-Centered Learning Design Grid

Educators develop and control the user interfaces with which learners interact. Educational Interfaces include curriculum, instruction, assessment, resources, space, technologies, protocols, culture, and more. The way we design and construct interfaces determines the quality of interaction and engagement that learners experience individually and collaboratively. Space, Culture, Technologies, and Pedagogy are Interface Dimensions that when reimagined as a result of observations of and feedback from learners can be manipulated to create empowering, inclusive, connected user learning experiences. Use of Zero-based Thinking (ZBT) strategies focused on embracing humanity in learning provides a powerful path to increasing and expanding positive user experiences for all learners.

Core Maker Understanding: User Interface + User Experience = Inspired Innovation

User Interface - what the educators control and do that creates a valued user learning experience essential to learners’ success and value for lifelong learning

User Experience - how the learner sees the experiences s/he/they in which they engage

Four Question Co-Planning Routine for Learning to Make and Making to Learn (Socol Moran)

• Content Challenge : “What are three concepts and/or essential understandings that learners need to be able to explain and demonstrate in your first unit/ 1st quarter/1st 45 days of School?” (Mass academic and arts standards)
• Context Relevance: “How might you find out how student interests intersect with these concepts/essential understandings?”
• Community Process: “How do you set the stage for maker projects that represent high expectations and unlimited possibilities?”
• Concrete Actions: What can kids make?

How Will You Set Up and Use Space in the Center?

How will you facilitate design thinking and maker learning practices through pedagogical strategies?

How will you create a Class Community Culture of collaboration and sharing?

How will you ensure kids are safe? Responsible together for the space?

How will you develop Student and staff User Fluency with Technology Resources and Tools, both older and newer? (Makeshop Learner Practices)