About
Purpose
The authors of this site strive to increase interest in basic circuits by providing engaging projects (e.g., paper planes, greeting cards, collages, origami structures) .
Activities were designed to be inexpensive and consumable so that learners can own, personalize, and show their work to others. We did not want learners and caregivers to worry about failed projects and broken or missing parts as they explored basic circuits.
We hope these activities help learners to explore circuity and move to more complex tasks, realizing that traditional breadboards, multimeters, and modular equipment will be needed at some point. This site does not attempt to replace traditional routes and approaches to circuit exploration. Rather, it strives to capture initial interest, demonstrate relevance, provide a sense of ownership for creations, and encourage further exploration.
Authors
Craig E. Shepherd is an Associate Professor of Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Memphis with research interests regarding technology use in formal and informal settings to foster knowledge acquisition and community.
Shannon M. Smith is an Assistant Professor at Boise State University Albertsons Library with research interests in best practices and ethics for emerging library services, collaborative learning, and multimodal information behavior.
Alan Buss is the Director of the School of Teacher Education at the University of Wyoming. He taught second and sixth grade prior to earning his doctorate in 1998. He teaches courses in elementary science and mathematics education, and his research focus is on meaningful uses of technology for learning. He is currently a co-PI on an NSF grant researching the use of augmented reality in socially mediated contexts to enhance learning of molecular-scale phenomena.
Publications
"Untitled" by DariuszSankowski. Used with Pixabay License.
Shepherd, C. E., Smith, S. M., Kvenild, C., Buss, A., & Ratcliffe, C. l. (2021). Adding reach and ownership with paper airplane circuits. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 12(2), 127-136. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v12i2.30358
Shepherd, C. E., Kvenild, C., Smith, S. M., & Buss, A. (2017). The unspace case: Developing a maker movement in a multipurpose, flexible space, library setting. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 8(1), 39-51. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v8i1.22658
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