How do you shift from always being a consumer to becoming a designer of your solutions to problems that you may face within your everyday life? This is the overarching question that I want my students to use as motivation to develop the mindset of makers, innovators, inventors, scientist and engineers. As this generation attempts to keep up with the development of new technologies, many question how the United States is not a top contributor in the technological movement. Where did this country lose its ingenuity to compete on a global level? Within the modern day education system there is a new movement to foster some of these habits of great thinkers to be placed back into the classroom. How can educators aid in the development of the preparation for the 21st century workforce?
As these questions race through my mind, I want to be a part of the movement to prepare our student to develop the ability to think and apply knowledge applicably. Within my Imagine-It Project “The Jetson’s 2025-Maker Me” I want student to create wearable technology that will aid in solving a problem that students face. Students will be challenged to include components of science, engineering, technology, math and art within the project. My desired results for this is project:
-Students will develop a mindset of an actual scientist/engineer because they will enter the role of one as they are journey through this process. I want the students to understand that being an engineer is a tangible goal. I also want students to understand the impact that they would have in society as they become part of a larger community of developers and innovators. As they collaborate with others they will gain the ability to communicate and collaborate. These two skills are critical life skills that could be applied in any arena.
-Students will use the engineering design process to guide them in the development of creating their own wearable technology product. Some may think that wearable technology is limited to devices that monitor body systems or track fitness but other options include people tracking devices, smart watches, smart clothing, wearable cameras, light and sound senors, smart glasses, smart shoes, smart electronics accessories, augmented reality, apps etc. all associated with being on or around the body.
-Students will communicate their solutions as a product pitch of their wearable tech as to why this product should be massed produced. This will lead them to see the importance of how a small idea could not only impact society but create a business path for them as well.
The Jetson’s 2025 Maker Me projects is a simulation of actual research and development of everyday products. As technology advances at such a fast pace, why should our students sit on the side lines watching? This generation is our next group of game designers, city developers, sports apparel designers, technology developers etc.. So let’s continue to use the engineering design process to continue the ongoing development of the maker mindset so our students will reduce the idea of always being a consumer.
Performance of Understanding
The engineering design process will guide student in the development of their project. I will use the Next Generation Science Standards to guide students through the development of the created solutions. To aide in the development of students becoming more innovative in their approach to problem solving, I will build capacity by engaging students in mini design challenges. I would use the repetitive approach to raise familiarity of applying the engineering design process at the end of each challenge by having student to identify how E.D.P was used. This would serve as an assessment so I could monitor the development of the mindset.
Students would use interactive STEM journals to document the process on Evernote. An introduction to the Image-It Project would include videos and i-Images. A field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry would take place at the introduction of the project as well as to help inspire students. I would like to use the Fast Forward exhibit as an example of modern-day individuals creating solutions. For example the engineer solution to food shortages in urban areas was to build a vertical farm. The prototype of this solution is on display along with a young African-boy who designed an energy solution for his small village.
Student could begin to generate ideas from those points of inspiration by posting problems they face on the class Problem and Solutions Board. This board would serve as the central idea generator for all students. Students would be challenged to pull ideas from the board and collaboratively come up with solutions. Those solutions would be posted on the solutions side of the board. This process could be repeated so that student would see the benefit in having a collaborative approach in problem solving. Student eventually would pick their “Top 3 Ideas” from the board or their own ideas and propose solutions. From this point they would complete a picture of the proposed prototype noting the materials and cost associated in the design of the actual model. Finally students would decide on a “Top Product” to design. Student would continue to use “EDP” to design, test redesign product and evaluate it along the way. After final prototype and product is completed, student would communicate or advertise their product choosing from many platforms for presentation. They could create a video, song, commercial, poem, play, infographic showcasing their product using You Tube Videos, a Voki avatar, xtranormal video, Songify app, Toontasitic, Infographics, Google apps, Pic Collage, Prezi just to name a few. This process would be evaluated as a performance assessment using a rubric.
The student blog/website would be where evidence of learning is tracked. I prefer to use Weebly, however google applications seems to be the preferred method for students. I will take a student poll just to generate some feedback around this idea. The students digital portfolio could serve as a preliminary component of larger opportunities as they move forward in life.
Learning Experience and Instruction
This upcoming year will be my 14th year in education, teaching both math and science along the way. This year I will serve as a true STEM educator for 6th grade at Morton School of Excellence. I will be working directly with the lead math teacher in the building to increase student achieve in math using an integrated approach to learning. I will co-lead the STEM initiative within the school as well as serve as a mentor teacher. I was challenged to lead the charge of incorporating college and career readiness field experiences for our middle school which would include college tours, college students visits, career day, company tours and the development of personal partnerships with local companies. The community I serve is on the west-side of Chicago in the heart of Humboldt Park, a community that has a mixed population of African-Americans and Latinos. Morton School of Excellence is a high performing neighborhood school with over 97% of the students receiving free or reduced lunch.
I want my students to know that they have all the tools necessary to compete with other students on a global level. They should feel that their hard efforts of input and ideas are important. They are capable of setting goals and achieving them just as their peers in other communities do. My students knowledge should lead them to feel like a valuable member within their own communities, so they can serve as an example to others. As they develop their wearable tech product I want them to feel proud of their efforts and embody the willingness to share ideas with anyone who will listen. This is their platform to shine.
Within my Imagine-It Project, the most common teaching approach will be inquiry-based learning within small groups. I will refrain from whole group lectures and replace it entirely with mini-lessons and scheduled student conferences. Students will function in small groups or work independently. Assessments will be based on student completion of assigned task using a teacher/student created rubric. I want my class to function as a true innovation lab. Where students are free to work on a desired task according to where they are in completion of assignments. Bi-weekly check-ins will help students stay on track. I will act as the a teacher facilitator. My student will also contribute to assessment process because they will serve as peer checkers and provide feedback as well. This project will run the entire school year and I will designate Fridays to be “Imagine Day” in my class. This will give me roughly 30 sessions give or take for the completion of the project. Technology
Students will be encouraged to use any technology they have to create which includes smart phones, tablets, and laptops when outside the class. I will have a designated day once a week for students to bring in their own devices to play with and give tech tips to their peers. This will push students to get familiar with what they already possess. Within the school I have access to an iPad cart and 1 handheld digital camera. My students also have assess to the desktops because they have computer technology once a week. Students have google accounts so Google presentations, forms, docs, drawing and sheets will be used to collect and analyze data, document information, create and edit pictures, complete surveys etc.. Student will also use tools outline in “The Performance of Understanding” listed above. The student digital portfolios will be a central location where students will post assignments.
I am eager to share many of the technology nuances that I gained over the summer months. I have had an entire summer to reflect and shift my practice. Approaching my curriculum and daily lessons, I will keep TPACK at the forefront of it all.