Day 3: Solutionaries

Tinkering is the intersection of science, art, engineering, and technology. It is about using familiar materials in unfamiliar ways to create and “make” – individually or with friends and family – something that has meaning. This working definition of tinkering will be the catalyst for discussing ways educators can engage K – 12 grade youth in tinkering as a transformative learning experience. Researcher Kylie Peppler will anchor the facilitated discussion with insights gleaned from over a decade of research, open discussion, and hands-on activities. Get your tinfoil handy and join the discussion!

Climate change is happening; however, impacts of and resilience to such change are not equal across all contexts. The idea of climate justice, the movement to define and address these differential impacts through specific policies and actions, is an area of great interest to youth and of increasing social importance to include in k-12 education. We will explore learning activities and resources to support ways for both educators and students to engage in justice-centered climate science learning. In addition, we will share resources to help educational leaders navigate the implementation of such learning across varied educational systems and community contexts.

Design is often instructionally presented as a socially neutral activity. Things get built to solve problems or to satisfy desires. In this session, we explore instructional approaches where students learn to relate engineering design to matters of social justice and power relations in society. Who benefits and who loses from engineering? Who decides what gets counted as engineering? How can students learn to design solutions for more just and equitable futures? The NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education provides room for a broad set of culturally inclusive images and justice-centered purposes for engineering design. Come explore these possibilities with us!

The Smithsonian Science Education Center, attempting to empower the next generation of decision makers capable of making the right choices about the complex socio-scientific issues facing human society, blends together previous practices in Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE), Social Studies Education (SSE), Global Citizenship Education (GCE), and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). During this interactive session, we will connect with tools and resources to support this work, and consider opportunities for integration into K-12 science and engineering learning experiences. Come explore these possibilities with us!

Innovation in assessment requires a confluence of events: shifts in policy structures, new conceptualization of assessment instruments, and supportive implementation practices. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to dive into promising and cutting edge efforts along each of these pillars, discussing the implications for our work in creating systems of assessments for the future.