Convenor: Heather King & Alex Hadwen-Bennett
The aim of this module is to equip students with the key knowledge and practical skills to design and run theoretically-grounded STEM making activities which support equitable learner engagement and motivation. The module will combine elements of physical computing, basic engineering and incorporate mathematical and scientific principles with the theoretical perspectives of constructionist learning, the embodied and situated nature of cognitive processes and student engagement. Approaches relevant to ‘making and creating’ will include enquiry, problem solving and project based learning models. In addition, students will examine historical and cultural practices of STEM making and engage in critical reflections regarding the educational value of making for learning. The module will have a strong peer-learning focus and collaborative atmosphere as students work with peers, module tutors and external experts to develop, critique and reflect on making activities that are appropriate for a range of educational settings and audiences.
Specifically the students will:
Develop a knowledge and understanding of the theories underpinning making;
Develop critical perspectives on the value of making for STEM education, and the role of making in society more broadly;
Gain key technical skills and know-how to support various making activities (including coding, prototype design, construction, appropriate health and safety considerations etc);
Experience the iterative processes of making and creating through developing STEM products, artifacts or learning sequences;
Work collaboratively with peers and tutors, and participate in group discussions and reflections;
Design making activities that support equitable learner engagement and participation;
Evaluate and refine their own and others’ efforts to design pedagogically-informed making activities; and
Learn first-hand from artists and maker-space educators and reflect on the key competencies of professionals working in the field.
