Making Deeper Learners

Graphical Abstract

Educators from the Exploratorium Tinkering Studio and the Lighthouse Community Public Schools explored how out-of-school Making and Tinkering programs could support learning that flowed into the school day.

Abstract

After he was impressed by seeing his friend Katrina using a soldering iron in the after-school tinkering program, sixth-grader Stephan decided to sign up for the program the next semester. [All names of students and educators are pseudonyms, created to protect their identities and privacy.] His first project was Marble Machines, for which he was given a four-foot-high pegboard, a bucket of marbles, and a range of building materials. The goal was to build a pathway that would get a marble to move slowly down the board.

Keywords:

• Informal Education

Author Contributions

Bronwyn Bevan ([email protected]) is senior research scientist at the University of Washington’s Institute for Science + Math Education in Seattle, Washington.

Jean J. Ryoo ([email protected]) is the director of research of the Exploring Computer Science project at the University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Formerly, she was director of the Institute for Research and Learning at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Aaron Vanderwerff ([email protected]) is the Director of Learning at the Maker Education Initiative in Oakland, California. Formerly, he was the Creativity Lab Director at Lighthouse Community Public Schools in Oakland, California.

Mike Petrich ([email protected]) coleads the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Karen Wilkinson ([email protected]) coleads the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bronwyn Bevan

Bronwyn Bevan ([email protected]) is senior research scientist at the University of Washington’s Institute for Science + Math Education in Seattle, Washington.

Jean J. Ryoo

Jean J. Ryoo ([email protected]) is the director of research of the Exploring Computer Science project at the University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Formerly, she was director of the Institute for Research and Learning at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Aaron Vanderwerff

Aaron Vanderwerff ([email protected]) is the Director of Learning at the Maker Education Initiative in Oakland, California. Formerly, he was the Creativity Lab Director at Lighthouse Community Public Schools in Oakland, California.

Mike Petrich

Mike Petrich ([email protected]) coleads the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Karen Wilkinson

Karen Wilkinson ([email protected]) coleads the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.