What is Maker Education?
My young maker education journey started 3 months ago. While I were still a fresh graduate majoring Applied Biology. The story started with a causal chat between me and MakerBay general manager, Fiona. She asked me about my plan after gradation, I told her I like teaching kids and had organised a few STEM workshops. Then she asked whether I am interested in teaching workshops in MakerBay. I said “Yes!”. Thats make here I am standing in front of 30 kids teaching them how to become a young maker.
During the past 3 months, things were happening quite rush and overwhelming at the beginning, especially for a fresh graduate without any teaching and working experiences like me. There were frustrations, happiness as well as exhaustion along the way. I encountered many questions and challenges. And the following question is the one of the important questions.
What is the core elements of Maker education?
This is a very important question for educators, teachers, parents and kids. Even I am working in the field of Maker Education, I still cannot provide a very good answer. I came up with my own answers after teaching making classes for 3 months:
a “I CAN” mindsettry-fail-try & an appreciation for the iterative processa sense of curiosity
Reflection on Whole Day Learning By Doing (WDLBD)
A line to summarise these 5 days WDLBD program: “Teaching is an art which can only be learnt in a hard way.”
Here are some recap of the 5 days program. The rationale of this program use the famous design thinking (d.school) as a blueprint. It also echoes to the overall WDLBD theme “Respect”, focusing on respecting the environment. After several meetings with the school teachers and instructors from CreativeKids, we decided our topic to be “Water Hack 拯救乜水?” addressing water pollution problem in Hong Kong.
Day 1 – Ocean Park Talk & Warm up game
Day 2 -Observe & Ask questions
Day 3 – Define problem & Ideate
Day 4 – Prototyping
Day 5 – Presentation & Reflection
Though I think I did not do a very good job, I wish students could learn something and plants the seed of becoming a young maker in their heart.
Areas that I did a good job:
I think I did a good job in designing the “innovator handbook”. It provides a just enough structure for other facilitators to guide students go through the design process.
I tried my best to build relationship with my students and provide encouragement to students when they are shy to present in front of the class.
From the feedback from one of my students. He said he learn how to make a vacuum cleaner using recycle materials. I think I did a good job in teaching them some basic maker skills and electronics skills. What I am most happy with is I saw their excitement in practice using soldering iron and one of them said he now can make a vacuum cleaner for his home 🙂
Rooms to improve:
I see I was quite weak at leading students to do reflection.I haven’t master the art of making selection of ideas after brainstorming.Need to learn more about how to design a setting for learning which can spark students’ curiosity and passion to learn.
Setting a suitable prompt for learning is crucial
It’s teachers who are playing the most essential role in bringing up quality of education. Lacking a supportive community between educators may be the most biggest problem in our local education.
Maria’s Dilemma — teachers develop curriculum to decide what kids should learn vs. student self-directed study
After going through these 3 months LBD and 5 days WDLBD, I think the only two and most crucial question to ask are (1) “How can teachers inspire students’ motivation for learning?” and (2) “How can the spirit of maker help in self-directed learning?” These two concerns will be my focus while developing the upcoming curriculum of the 2nd school term.