WEBVTT 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:14.060 So making as an approach to teaching and learning that builds on the curiosity and creativity of kids. 00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:20.200 STEM rich tinkering is conceptually rich and it can be made culturally relevant. 00:00:20.220 --> 00:00:27.220 In 2015, the U.S. Department of ED and The Institute for Museum and Library Services formed a 00:00:27.220 --> 00:00:35.760 partnership to explore how to expand tinkering into 21st century community learning centers across the country. 00:00:35.760 --> 00:00:43.740 The project supported five local networks, each consisting of one science center and five 21st Century after school centers. 00:00:44.260 --> 00:00:49.820 The Exploratorium’s role was to create a blended professional development program 00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:55.560 that included a face-to-face workshop here in San Francisco and online community and resources. 00:00:56.020 --> 00:01:00.880 In the workshop that we started with, each of the teachers and participants got to experience the 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:05.240 activities the kids would be doing and have a chance to reflect on that experience as 00:01:05.240 --> 00:01:10.180 learners and on the teaching techniques that we would be using to support our students in that process. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:18.080 We developed a six week curriculum to encourage kids to explore playfully and using their curiosity. 00:01:18.320 --> 00:01:21.720 The curriculum builds towards a culminating project which we call 00:01:21.720 --> 00:01:26.660 “Nature Bots” that combine some of the circuitry skills that they learned from the beginning 00:01:26.660 --> 00:01:31.720 together with some of the building and sculptural skills involved in other projects. 00:01:32.720 --> 00:01:38.000 There were three pedagogical principles that we were thinking about. One of them is the ways that the 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.460 activities are designed to support student talk and meaning making. 00:01:41.460 --> 00:01:45.620 Another principle is emphasizing the role of iteration. 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:49.540 The teachers were given techniques in order to support that process of iteration. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.100 “Oh my God.” 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:56.000 A third principle that we shared with teachers was one that we call “Hands and Eyes.” 00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:01.440 And the purpose of these conversations are for teachers to really think about what 00:02:01.440 --> 00:02:05.260 moments are the best for them to intervene and help deepen the learning for 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:11.320 students and when there might be moments that they choose to let a student lead their own process. 00:02:12.900 --> 00:02:17.140 The academic vocabulary that the students were picking up was incredible. 00:02:17.140 --> 00:02:22.680 The students are now talking about “this is the load” or “this is the force” or “this is kinetic energy.” 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:26.340 They get it because they’re working with it and doing it. 00:02:26.440 --> 00:02:29.140 “Look at them, they’re happily dancing together dancing cheek to cheek.” 00:02:29.200 --> 00:02:39.000 Seeing my students deepen their understanding of science concepts through their own iteration process 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:41.420 was an awesome experience. 00:02:41.420 --> 00:02:46.540 And one has an idea that makes someone else think of another idea and another idea and another idea. 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:50.080 And that’s the great thing about group work and collaboration. 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:52.820 Wow. Sometimes I don’t need to provide answers. 00:02:52.820 --> 00:02:56.240 I don’t need to be "the" teacher in the room. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:59.480 I just need to show them what learning looks like. 00:02:59.480 --> 00:03:04.580 The ultimate goal is for students to have the most amount of authorship over their own making 00:03:04.580 --> 00:03:09.160 and building process. It was wonderful working with the 21st Century teachers because 00:03:09.160 --> 00:03:14.440 they have a really unique perspective on the students as whole people. Students experience 00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:21.060 a lot of self-doubt about their abilities, especially subjects like science, technology and math. 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:26.540 And learning experiences can be really powerful and transformative when they come into the room with that self-doubt 00:03:26.540 --> 00:03:35.040 but they walk away an hour later with excitement and pride and they start to see themselves as capable and intelligent. 00:03:38.440 --> 00:03:42.340 [Music playing] 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:44.520 They felt empowered. 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.300 I think it was the greatest learning opportunity they’ve had in a long time. 00:03:48.420 --> 00:03:50.540 [Music playing] 00:03:50.540 --> 00:03:58.020 I think that the students doubted themselves a little bit at first but definitely over time I think that they were able 00:03:58.020 --> 00:04:05.760 to find those ways of letting themselves be the guide instead of seeking so much from the instructors. 00:04:05.760 --> 00:04:08.300 [Music playing] 00:04:08.300 --> 00:04:15.120 When students engage in these making projects, the benefits extend way beyond 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:21.520 academics into their social and their emotional well-being. [Music playing] 00:04:21.520 --> 00:04:29.640 I think what is really meaningful about these learning experiences is it builds confidence and a sense of self-worth 00:04:29.640 --> 00:04:36.480 in the students that they are capable of doing things on their own and it really stresses the process and not the 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:46.140 product which is very valuable. It just allowed them to just be free and really explore and learn. 00:04:46.140 --> 00:04:51.020 It was so dynamic and so influential on our students. I mean, they loved it. 00:04:51.020 --> 00:04:55.340 They weren’t ready for summer break; they were ready just to keep going. 00:04:55.340 --> 00:05:00.580 [Children playing]