We are pleased to share a recent webinar led by Daniel Schermele with several FabLearn Fellows in a conversation about assessment strategies for maker courses. The conversation included:
Intent of assessment / why do we teach specific content
Types of assessments
Backwards planning vs. self-determined education
Why do we assess? Accountability or just part of an antiquated educational system?
What should we be assessing? Standards vs. skills. Knowledge vs. Information
How do we assess?
Using a product as assessment (when the process is really what’s important)
MakerEd superstar Jaymes Dec posed an interesting question, “What does an AI augmented makerspace look, sound, or feel like?”
Here is some of my brainstorming.
The Makerspace AI monitors the environmental conditions including airborne particulates, sound levels and machines in operation and recommends or enforces use of personal protection equipment such as safety glasses, ear protection or respirator. (Nest Smoke Alrm https://nest.com/smoke-co-alarm/overview/) IR temperature sensors detect soldering irons and hot glue guns left on, fire in laser cutter, over/under temp in 3D printer, blade/bit over temp in cutting tools.
The Makerspace AI can project visual information on any surface on the Makerspace and project audio in focused areas through ceiling mounted projectors and sound panels. ( AR sandbox https://arsandbox.ucdavis.edu/ and Audio Spotlight https://www.holosonics.com/.)
The Makerspace AI recognizes individual users and knows machines that users are qualified to use. The Makerspace AI has individual control over every powered device in the Makerspace including hand tools and can disable access to unqualified users. (Milwaukee One-Key https://milwaukeetool.com/OneKey) The Makerspace AI provides Just In Time training through audio, video and AR on the specific machine user needs with specific materials user wants to use. The Makerspace AI notifies a Makerspace Facilitator when user is ready for hands-on demonstration of skills. Safety usage is monitored and retraining required when necessary.
The Makerspace AI recommends or enforces specific tools settings & bit/blade combinations for specific materials and applications. Recommends alternative materials or tools based on database of available Makerspace resources. The Makerspace AI estimates and records ongoing project costs based on cost of material used, machine/tool use and consumables. (Amazon Go https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16008589011) Makerspace Facilitator is notified if assistance is needed changing bit/blade or to authorize use/cost outside of approved parameters. (Ie. Project limit is $20 of materials.)
The Makerspace AI records, collects and curate project information and files. Assembled a project timeline including video/audio of brainstorming among users, design iterations and prototypes. Records project materials list and project instructions. (Auto-generated Instructable and project documentary.)
The Makerspace AI converts verbal descriptions, drawings and physical prototypes into 3D models in AR. Users can modify design using AR or traditional design tools. The Makerspace AI can render the model in any material or construction method available in the Makerspace. The Makerspace AI can apply algorithmic design to create multiple variations of user design. “Show me 10 variations of this design that can be created in the Makerspace from plywood using the laser cutter.” Designs can be optimized for strength, cost, material usage or complexity. Users can create custom design algorithms. (See http://code.algorithmicdesign.net/)
The Makerspace AI assists users in programming wireless electronics modules through natural language interface. “When I press this button, this LED turns on. This LED colors corresponds to this temperature sensor. When this pressure sensor is activated this motor is triggered for 3 seconds.” The Makerspace AI shows code for program in block code and appropriate programming language. (See https://samlabs.com/) The Makerspace AI converts project into a circuit design shown in AR space with other project design elements. The Makerspace AI creates CNC circuit board design that fits user project. User can cut custom circuit board and then follow Makerspace AI instructions to create final version of their prototypes design. (See https://www.tinkercad.com/circuits)
The Makerspace AI assists with cleaning (Robot Vacuums https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2498130,00.asp), maintenance (tracking servicing intervals, monitoring cutting/printing quality) and ordering (monitoring stock levels).
What are your thoughts on the future of AI augmented makerspaces? Leave ideas or links to existing technologies that would enable a makerspace AI in the comments.
The Makerspace Starter Kit has been updated for 2018! Now in handy business card size for your next MakerEd workshop or professional development event. In three, ready-to-print formats that you are free to customize. Makerspace Starter Kit Card (.zip)
Fold your Makerspace Starter Kit in half to create a tent. Place your Makerspace Starter Kit in a free space in your classroom, library, workshop or community space. Talk to everyone about your new Makerspace. Your Makerspace is the natural home for donations and grants. Be open to every opportunity to acquire supplies, support, users, expertise and community. Now that you HAVE a Makerspace, you can stop worrying about getting starting and put your time and energy into growing your space.
Inside the fold of your Makerspace are free resources to start you out on your journey. Ultimately every Makerspace is different, reflecting your community needs and resources. You don’t have to have every piece of gear or software. Start small and don’t be afraid to learn with your Makerspace users.
The Makerspace Starter Kit follows the model of the folk tale Stone Soup. In the story of Stone Soup, a traveler wanders into a village and places a stone and water into a pot and places it over a fire. He loudly declares to the suspicious villagers that he is making a wonderful soup that all are free to share. He tastes the soup and says it is almost ready and only needs a little something to make it perfect. In time, each of the villagers contributes to the soup and everyone including the traveler partake in a delicious meal. The Makerspace Starter Kit is the stone. It is a focal point for your declaration that this is a MAKERSPACE. It is your job to convince the members of your community that making will feed the spirit of kids, that kids can and should learn by making. The global maker village has already contributed many free resources for your makerspace. Your local village has the ingredients to grow your makerspace.
You are not alone. You are part of a global community of makers and educators. Join the discussion on Twitter or in Google groups/communities, write a blog or post photos on Instagram/Pinterest, share your project on Thingiverse/Tinkercad/Instructables.
Problem: How do you deliver an effective MakerEd workshop with minimal materials and cost?
Solution: A mini MakerEd workshop kit that costs under $3 per participant and uses simple materials for participants to explore maker education concepts.
Background: The biggest sin a Maker Coach can commit is to give a MakerEd presentation without any thought to hands-on learning for the educators. Many Maker Coaches simply emulate the structure of a typical education conference presentation. They lecture behind a podium or table while flipping through a slide deck of highlight photos and bullet points. In part, this is due to the limitation of conferences in general. Most conference room layouts and time slots don’t encourage hands-on activities.
Maker Coaches that integrate hands-on learning into their presentations are faced with the logistical challenge of toting tools and supplies to the conference and then setting up the room and tearing it all down. The cost in terms of time, effort and dollars add up and can cast serious doubt on the value of engaging participants in making.
This was the problem that faced me when I was asked to be a featured presenter at TCEA this year. I was flying to the conference and didn’t have the luxury of packing my car to the roof with a traveling makerspace. I was also responsible for all the costs of supplies and needed to give participants a great workshop without breaking the bank.
Activities: The workshop titled, Making with Head, Hands and Heart guided participants in a series of making activities using a business card as the base material. The workshop presentation materials are available at https://designmaketeach.com/tcea4/
–Business Card: A business card is a way of making connections between two people.
–Makerspace Starter Kit: A business card can be an entire Makerspace Starter Kit. MakerspaceCardA & MakerspaceCardB
–Light/Simple Circuit: An LED and a battery make a light. LEDs have rules.
–Throwie: LED, battery and tape make a throwie.
–Flashlight: Add a business card and the throwie becomes a flashlight which is a light with power source, housing and a switch.
–Light Saber: Add a colored straw and the flashlight becomes a light saber.
–Vibrobot: A business card, vibration motor, battery and tape become a Vibrobot that turns vibration into linear and rotary motion.
–Art Bot: Adding a crayon to the Vibrobot makes an Art Bot.
–Rocket: A business card, straw and tape become a rocket.
–Story Telling Tools: Adding a cell phone, participants can use the supplies to tell a story.
*Links are just for illustration and are NOT affiliate links or endorsements.
Coaching Notes: Creating a Mini MakerEd Workshop Kit and directing participants through the activities is not enough to create a meaningful MakerEd workshop. Throughout this journey, the participants should be guided in reflecting about the experience from both the role of student and as maker educator. They should be encouraged to think about the use of these specific materials and materials in general to engage students in learning.
Please let me know in the comments about how you solve the problem of delivering an effective MakerEd workshop with minimal materials and cost.
Couple years back I briefly remember @DesignMakeTeach when I just finished speaking for #makercorps#makered at WMF14 and he passed me a makerspace-in-a-bag. Couple years later at #TCEA, received an upgrade I'm excited to play with on the plane! pic.twitter.com/GI49qQjpYp
We (the fabulous Astrid Poot ,me and her cool work work colleagues!) are designing a MakerChallenge for educators anticipating the big Maker Faire in Eindhoven this september. In this blog series we write down what we make, test and learn. We loooove feedback, so don’t be shy. In our last blog (Dutch, but with loads of clips and pictures) we tested different techniques, in this blog we thought about a way to support the design process.
The challenge: build a chain reaction in a box of a certain size. Choose your own approach, theme and techniques. Start at A (left side of the box), and finish at B (right side of the box). Make it as long as possible!
MODULAR DESIGN TOOL
A chain reaction is a series of separate events that interact. A modular design tool to think of these separate but connected events to us seems like a useful solution. So we made sets of chain-cards and a designcanvas to use with the cards. Easy to print and use for everyone. (Yeah, that’s Dutch all right. We’ll translate them as soon as, promise.)
CHAIN-CARDS AND DESIGN CANVAS
Chain-cards are cards with separate interactions, that you cut out and use to design your big chain reaction. Lego style! Materials should be printed on A3, so the designcanvas matches the size of the box roughly.
LIKE THIS
Print the chain-cards and design canvas.
Pick the interactions you like:Put them on the designcanvas ands make notes:Collect the things you need:And build it!
The chain-cards and designcanvas allow you to visualise your plans. It helps to imagine your chain reaction and the interaction between the separate events. Moving and switching the cards supports a fast en dynamic thinking-proces while designing.
We’ll be making (and translating!) different sets of cards: analog, with electronic components, with water, and many more. Each card comes with a little how-to clip (or other visual explanation), materials list and explanation.
What do you think, are we onto something here? Please let us know: both Astrid and me love a good talk on all things #makered. Big thank you!
I applied to the InfyMakers Award Contest http://www.infymakers.com/ Here is the proposal for the Physical Computing Maker Cart.
What suggestions do you have for supplies, lessons, activities, resources and challenges? Leave your reply in the comments.
Summary The InfyMaker award will enable the creation of a set of Physical Computing Maker Carts for use in elementary, middle and high school coding classrooms. These mobile makerspaces will empower students to imagine, make and code real world products to solve authentic challenging problems.
Detailed Description
Students in the Academies of Loudoun’s – Academy of Engineering and Technology will prototype and test a set of Physical Computing Maker Carts for use in elementary, middle and high school coding classrooms. The carts will consist of a basic mobile makerspace enhanced with an add-on package of physical computing devices. The project team will create activities and challenges that reflect authentic problems in our community. Students in our district’s K12 coding classrooms will imagine, make and code real world products to meet these challenges. Progress will be shared through a project blog. Students will exhibit their work at an annual maker showcase.
The final cart design, activities and design challenges will present a scalable solution to integrating making and coding in K12 schools. The results of the project will be shared globally through the Stanford FabLearn Fellows network.
Budget
$3,000 – 6 basic mobile makerspace carts. 2 each elementary, middle and high school. Unit cost per cart of $500 based on previous mobile makerspace design work. Each tool tote will contain scissors, shears, cutting mat, hot glue gun, ruler, crayons, colored pencils, markers, tape, and glue sticks.
$3,000 – 6 physical computing class packs of Makey Makey, micro:bit, Circuit Playground Express and Arduinos.
$800 – Tools. This budget item is to allow our student design team flexibility to outfit carts to meet specific classroom or activity needs.
$3,200 – Professional Development: 2 member project team of computer science teacher and maker educator will attend 2018 Constructing Modern Knowledge Institute to deeply explore interplay of making and physical computing and develop activities to promote introduction of making into the coding classroom. Includes registration, hotel and airfare.
Sustainability
The InfyMakers Physical Computing Maker Cart build out guide, design challenges and activities will be shared on a project blog, FabLearn blog/conference and via YouTube. The low cost and modular nature of the cart ensures it can be easily replicated by other school districts.
Locally, Academies of Loudoun’s – Academy of Engineering and Technology program will maintain the InfyMakers funded carts as a service learning project. The project team will conduct PD on making & coding for our Code to the Future (elementary), Coding at Middle School (middle) and Computer Science (high school) teams. As the carts are loaned out across our district of 85,000 students, individual schools will engage their stakeholders in funding their own Physical Computing Maker Carts.
Student projects will be exhibited at our district’s annual Student Maker Showcase and at our regional NoVa Maker Faire.
In 2008 at my school ‘De Populier‘ we started with the ‘masterpiece’ project. It’s the last course before our students do their national exams. It’s a typical maker style course: students can make whatever they want as long as there is a challenge. They have to challenge themselves. It was the start of our maker program – although in 2008 the term “maker education” didn’t exist.
Some ‘Masterpiece’ project results (class of 2016)
Ten years later I’ve learned a lot about using making in the classroom. At first I was struck by the more obvious things like student motivation and concentration during maker projects. But gradually more subtle things caught my attention. Why does this assignment work and another one doesn’t? What things determine the success of a project? This and many more questions occupy a substantial part of my brain. I’m intrigued by the possibilities maker education gives me. It is these maker education experiences that changed my view about learning and education in general – and still do…
In this post I’ll highlight three things being a maker educator has taught me and how they changed my view on education: Learning is a social endeavour. Give students freedom to learn. The result is a learning process turned solid.
Learning is a social endeavour
Making is not just about cognition. It’s about so much more. During maker style assignments, different students, or different aspects of students will surface – different from the regular, high on cognition, classes. This is to be expected because it takes a lot, being a maker. Making makes room for different skill sets.
A new classroom dynamic
Because of this new dynamic making opens up space for all sorts of students. Everyone is good at something. This changes classroom dynamics. Old patterns fade, new ones are created. With more room for different skills, more room for different students. This works just as much the other way around. Making creates a new social structure. Maybe it is because nobody knows the outcomes of a maker project, so everybody at the start of a project is equal.
Social structure
In our after school maker program (FABklas = FABclass) is the only structure we have, a social one. At the start students tell what it is they’re going to make. They indicate if they will need help. At the end students tell (and show) what they have made. There are no grade levels; students of different ages (12-18) and ability work together. This way it happens a 13 year old girl may be explaining how to use the laser cutter to a more advanced level 17 year old boy. We had a lucky hand in accepting all grade levels and their choosing the social structure. But it turns out to be a golden one. Looking back on the many projects I’ve done, I saw a pattern emerge. Groups with a strong social structure do well in maker projects.
Being part of a network.
“The teacher knows everything”. Doing maker projects makes you quickly realize the exact opposite. Many times students have skills that surpass your own. For example, I once had a student that was fluent in 40 (!) programming languages. If you take into account the free maker project where students can do everything, using new materials and tools, you know you don’t know everything. The teacher becomes a student. However, one key difference remains. You are noticeably more experienced (with learning) then students. But turning yourself into a ‘student’ too puts you in the middle of the social structure of the class. I find this really interesting. You start to learn with your students. There is a real learning dialogue.
Learning is a social endeavour
During regular classes (I teach high school Biology) I’m more dialed in to this social aspect of learning. It seems a bit strange, but I didn’t use it that much in regular teaching. Reading ‘The Hidden Lives of Learners‘ by Graham Nuthall I know this was a mistake. “Social relationships determine learning“. Students use each other to learn. They learn as much from – as with – one another. Much more than we know. During maker projects in the classroom this became for the first time really clear to me. Learning is a social endeavour.
Learning is a social endeavour which I try to tap into and explicitly be a part of.
DNA model using NEOpixels
Freaky robot
Automata
Pinball
Give students freedom to learn
This is really straightforward. Students need to have the freedom to learn. But do they have it? How much freedom is there for students within the curriculum? With my first maker experience, the ‘masterpiece’, students did get a lot of freedom. My directions: Make whatever you want. Do it in this much (24 hours) time. It was overly enthusiastic and also, very naive. About 20% of the projects made it to a somewhat final stage – partly because there were, luckily, some very good makers in this class. The other 80% all halted at an earlier stage….some even got just an idea. Giving students freedom is super easy to do. Helping them to use the freedom is extremely difficult.
Biggest freedom
Now, ten years later, we do much better. It still is the maker assignment that has the biggest degree of freedom within our curriculum. (FABclass is a after school program, so it’s outside the national curriculum.) Students all make different, unique projects. I’m always impressed by the ideas, the products and the quality of the work. How did this became a success?
The engine
Nothing is more tempting than to help fantasizing about crazy ideas students would like to make. But, there is a but. It’s called reality. The idea needs to be turned into a real product. This relationship between idea and product is the core of maker education. It is the engine. Turning ideas into products. It’s all about applying knowledge and using skills. I think knowledge and skills are key for students dealing with (a lot of) freedom. The more they have, the better they become.
Setting goals
Keeping the ideas small was one of the first things we learned. Students quickly need to know if their idea is going to work. This will get the engine running. And when it runs, so much is possible! We frequently send students home because school is closing. They can’t stop working on their project. These are the same individuals who, at home, won’t refill the toilet paper.
Scaling
If you know your base idea is going to work then you can try to scale it; make it bigger, better, more beautiful… We do this the same way, setting goals, one by one.
Guidance
Guiding students during a maker project can be a narrow and difficult path. It’s almost an art form – to keep students’ idea alive and at the same time small enough to get the engine started. Being critical about the idea may help. In general this improves the original idea. I learned this from our science/art project with my colleague Petra who is an art teacher.
Frustration management
The last thing I would like to point out is about frustration. You can read the previous points as frustration management. Every student is entitled to climb steep learning curves, but we always assess each student to see if they have a fighting chance. We tend to leave this process mainly with the student. (we sit on our hands and bite our tongue a lot.) We only intervene when a student is giving up. After 10 years we still misjudge students. Sometimes they can do more than we thought, sometimes less. But, the percentage of misjudgement is much lower now.
Give students freedom to learn
Giving students more freedom to apply knowledge, not only to reproduce it, is what is changed in my regular classes. I assign mostly maker style projects but with some control/setting boundaries. There is a tension between freedom and controlling what students do. I find this fascinating and keep (re)searching ways to do both. How do you get students’ engines turned on AND cover a curriculum? This Scratch modelling assignment, made with Marten, is a example of this.
Giving students freedom has to offer a lot (motivation, authenticity). Prior knowledge and skills are good indicators as to how well theys can manage the freedom. Guiding projects with high levels of freedom boils down to setting small goals.
Former student Victor Hupe (first generation FABklas 2013) TEDx talk about giving students freedom.
The product is a learning process turned solid
Process and product are both essential and invaluable to maker projects. This post only briefly addresses the process. It deserves more attention but for now we focus on the product. My brother in arms, Arjan, likes to say that the products students make are learning processes turned solid. I love this. It’s such a beautiful way of looking at products.
Process turned solid
I agree that the products students make IS learning turned solid. Every product is preceded by prototypes and little experiments. It shows what students are learning. As a teacher I just love this! It’s easy to talk about and with the products.
Mike’s Morse code machine. You can hand dial the code or turn the wheel and get a fixed message (S-O-S).
Making learning visible
Products are easy to share. This is another nice property. You can show them, make an exhibit out of them, take them with you or find a spot and add some flavour to your classroom. The latter is what I like to do with them. They show a culture of learning and is motivation for new students to get started making. For me, the barnacle of the classroom, seeing students flowing by are reminders of lessons learned.
Being a maker
It’s an important ability to be able to turn your ideas into products. It turns you from consumer to producer. You are a maker. From acquiring knowledge to applying it to create something new. It really struck a chord with our students. It’s something we fully recognize. Our whole staff is addicted to the same feeling. It’s so powerful when you’re able to turn your ideas into reality. If this is a valuable ability for the future remains to be seen. But…the pride I see in students, that alone is worth it.
Self efficacy
Being a maker lets a student feel what it is like going through a creative process. The students learn skills (woodworking, using a laser cutter, 3D-designing, programming…) to turn their ideas to products and experience first hand how difficult this process is. I think, and it’s just a presumption, this give them appreciation for makers and for products. At the same time they get a feeling of self efficacy. They too can shape the world. This is important. I think the world can be a little better.
The product is a learning process turned solid
In my regular classes I use products to make students thinking and learning visible. It lets me ‘see’ inside their heads. While students are busy making, their thinking is figuratively ‘on the table’. This makes it easy so help and redirect students if necessary.
A product is a learning process turned solid. It’s easy to share, makes a culture of learning visible and provides new ways to engage with students about what they learn.
Follow that oxygen! Use the red (oxygen rich blood) and blue (oxygen depleted blood) to tape different organ systems together.
Just as for my students, maker education gave me freedom, made me part of the social structure of the classroom and awoke the maker in me. Teaching is just so much better and much more fun. This is something I wish for everybody.
As always, comments, additions and improvements, it’s all welcome!
Per-Ivar
Many thanks to Susan and Eva for helping me with the translation of this post. Thank you Susan for encouraging me to write this post. You’re the best!
Start with students back in groups from part 1. Return their drawings in the group folder from the first class. Have students take out just ONE drawing from their folder. Give students 3 minutes to try and re-create the shape from their drawings done during Part 1. If students are struggling, groups can then take out the rest of their Part 1 drawings to try to recreate their own. When finished, compare with the picture the teacher took previously.
Task 2
Groups look through their drawings and decide which one communicates the best. Give this drawing to another group, and have them try and re-create the shape.
Discussion
Did the drawings communicate effectively? Were you able to re-create that shape from the drawing? Was the other group more or less successful than you?
[point out a drawing that by itself has some element of confusion preventing it from being re-created.]
Can the confusion be resolved by looking at others in the group? How are we stronger together?
[Point out those drawings that are unfinished, people who spent too much time on detail]
Recall, what was the purpose of doing the drawing? Art or Communication? Creating Instructions or Sharing Interpretations?
[Show some of teacher photos documented using iPad. Ask if they are better representation? Can THEY miss things too?]
Communicating through Drawings
Everyone needs a pencil and piece of paper (eg. graph paper, scrap paper). Divide groups into sets of partners, then partners separate, either to different rooms or on opposite sides of dividers so they can’t see what the other is doing.
In this activity, each partner does the same thing at the same time, so there is no one sitting idle. You must have a lot of material available, so that students are not held back by lack of material.
Student A – Uses the materials to design/make a creature/object – strict 1 minute time limit, and no more than 5 pieces allowed to be used!
Student A – Uses paper and pencil to communicate the design of their creature/object in writing – another 1 minute time limit [must be fast!]
Student A trades their communication paper with their partner Student B (don’t let them see the original shape) and Student B has to MAKE it based solely on the drawing (no talking, hand signals, confirmation etc.)
When finished (or when the time limit is up), partners come together to do a comparison of their original shapes and their copies. Student B’s creation that is based on the drawing is compared with the original creation by Student A.
REFLECT
How did they do in the time limit? (the goal here is to allow students to fail at the task if applicable, as many students will initially try to do artistic, realistic representations that take too long and since they are incomplete, cannot communicate the idea) (see Google Doc reflection homework assignment)
(IF TIME, do another round or two of steps 1-4, allowing students to re-iterate on their communication strategies. If necessary, reduce time limit or increase number of materials allowed)
Consolidation
With 20 minutes left in class, clean up and put away materials.
REFLECT: lead a class discussion on the activity (including connections to work in previous classes) – use a whiteboard (or computer/projector and something like Padlet) to record highlights of class discussion.
Can / did students come up with using symbols on their own? Or another strategy that makes it easier to have a common understanding? Lead into a discussion of 3 View (Orthographic) drawings, and the need for standards in order to communicate (eg. the value in using ISO date; road signs and driving on one side of the road, etc.)
ALTERNATIVE:
Instead of working in partners, use groups.
Groups build shapes, make one drawing and then trade that communication with another group (while covering the original shape).
When groups are finished, they compare their creation based on the drawing with the original creation.
FUTURE CLASSES
This would be an appropriate lead in for lessons/activities on Orthographics and other forms of Technical Drawings and 3D design.
Part I – Reiteration, Creativity, & Defining the Problem
This activity is done in partners. You may choose to have students choose their own partners, or students may be required to find partners within the groups they had for Part I. The main setup for these activities is that partners must not be able to see each others’ work, and it is helpful (though not absolutely necessary) if they can see each others’ face. The best way to do this is with those plastic 3-panel writing folders, but you can also setup cardboard or other dividers propped up temporarily.
The materials used here are the same as in Part I, so you should keep the same routines and expectations for materials, classroom procedures for getting them, and also clean-up expectations.
One Minute Warm-Up
With a partner, each person has 1 minute to make an animal using the materials.
When time is up, partners show each other their shape. They have to try and guess what animal their partner created.
Two Minute Team-Work
Teaming up with another set of partners, students have 2 minutes to choose one of the animals they made and work together to make a place for that animal to live.
Empathy
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Partners take no more than 1 minute to make a shape/object using between 5 and 8 pieces. One partner (Person A) gives the other (Person B) as much information as possible. Even though partners are blocked from viewing each other, Person B copies the shape as best they can. When complete, partners compare the original with the copy, reflect on how they did and what they could do better, and then switch roles.
Students should be spread out around the class, and have a way to block the view of their partner – eg. 3 panel writing folders, pieces of cardboard, etc. Remember that if you are using blindfolds for Version 3, it’s probably best if you set them aside after the activity and have them washed before the next class.
Version 1
Partner A describes their shape to Partner B orally, but B cannot see the shape.
Version 2
Partner A describes their shape to Partner B, but B cannot talk to A (including for clarification/confirmation)
Version 3
Partner A describes their shape to Partner B, but B is blindfolded
Version 4
Partner B asks Partner A questions to figure out what the shape is, Partner A can’t say anything else other than “yes” or “no” in response.
Version 5
Partner A describes their shape to Partner B, but B can only use one hand.
KEY CONCEPT
Discovering or finding the right framing of a problem requires designers to see things from different perspectives. Developing empathy allows you do a better job of understanding the context of the problem and helps you create a better solution.
Part I – Reiteration, Creativity, & Defining the Problem
Show students the materials and explain classroom procedures for getting them, and also clean-up expectations. (eg. 1 person from each group come up, or 1 group at a time, or distribute buckets of materials to each group, etc.) Have the students in groups.
CHALLENGE
Build the tallest freestanding structure you can in 5 minutes.
After time is up, do a gallery walk so students can see how other children solved the problem. Measure heights with a meter stick (structures must remain standing without being held). Discuss observations of what worked and what didn’t work.
REITERATE
Have students return to their groups and take another 5 minutes to either reinforce or completely rebuild their structure. After time is up, give out the group challenge/documentation sheets. Remind students to put names of all group members on the page. Have groups record the two different heights of their structures, and briefly describe what they did different between first and second iterations, and whether they were successful at making a stronger and/or taller structure.
KEY CONCEPT
Failing is ok, so long as we learn from it (and let other people learn from it) by re-iterate after.
Defining the Problem
BRAINSTORM
On each of the group challenge/documentation sheets is a different challenge prompt. “We’re going to make a model of something, but first we need to brainstorm ideas of things we could make that meet this criteria”
Give students 5 minutes to write a list of as many possible ideas they can think of; things that meet one of the following criteria. (NOTE: each of the student Group Booklets is unique – has a different criteria)
“A vehicle”
“Something that uses an engine to move people around”
“A vehicle that transports people through the air”
“Something that helps people move through water”
“A public transportation vehicle
”Something that you can use to move yourself around”
“A thing that transports people from one place to another”
Ask students to count how many answers they came up with. Have each group share their number and read some aloud. Finish with the group that has: “Make a model of a thing that transports people from one place to another”. Have students reflect in their groups on the types of answers people came up with.
QUESTION PROMPTS
(For groups that are having difficulty reflecting) Which group had the most ideas answers and why? How do possible solutions to this task change if the question was rephrased to the last one? In what way are these questions biased? Did questions put limitations on how students could respond? Is there something (or category of things) that each challenge leaves out? Can we infer that certain questions force us into (somewhat) pre-determined possible answers? (see Google Doc Reflection Assignment Part I)
KEY CONCEPT
Discovering or finding the right framing of a problem is often more important than solving the problem!
Communication
In their group, students choose one vehicle from their list, and build a model of it with limited materials, within a time limit. (eg. maximum 10 items, 2 minutes)
EXIT TASK
This is in preparation for the third activity on Communication through Drawings. Each group member uses their own piece of grid paper to draw their interpretation of the object – for the purpose of communicating to someone else who will need to make their own copy of the object (have a strict time limit – if they don’t finish, it should STILL be collected!)
Teacher takes a picture of each object before taking them apart (on the group names page for later reference – so it’s easy to tell which students worked on which shapes).
Part I – Reiteration, Creativity, & Defining the Problem
Put them on the designcanvas ands make notes:
Collect the things you need:
And build it!
