BricksTagged: "do it yourself"
TextIcon June272011

Children Learn More Through Design

getsparx:

Check out the interesting talk Mark Frauenfelder gave at TEDxKids in Brussels a few weeks ago.


Mark Frauenfelder is the Editor in Chief for Make magazine, a publication that uses technology to create do-it-yourself projects. As Mark explains in his talk, this same emphasis on design can augment the educational experience of children when used as a teaching tool. In Mark’s words,

“The problem with a lot of today’s schools is that they train kids to be scholars. They’re always preparing kids. Kids are learning how to research things through books and the internet. They’re writing reports about what they learned. They’re learning math as abstract concepts, not through practical knowledge. So kids are always preparing to do things but they’re not actually doing anything.”

The solution to this problem? To teach a curriculum focused on design and hands-on projects rather than abstract concepts.

read more…

Tags: /design /diy /do it yourself /education /TEDxKids /Make /children /kids /learning /teaching /teachers /school Reblogged from: Sparx / Post was created by: getsparx Reblog notes: 2 notes
TextIcon June232011

Make Your Own Mini Robot

getsparx:

Check out this neat tutorial on how to build a miniature robot using an Altoids tin.

Read these instructions and do it yourself! Robotics can be a great teaching tool and an easy way to get kids interested in the sciences. Several Spark funded projects involve robotics including Curious Creatures from Art Energy Design, Character Therapy from Interbots, and the Robot Algebra Project from Girl Scouts of Southwestern PA. Learn more about these programs on our Funded Projects page.

And stop by the Spark blog for more fun updates and posts!

Tags: /diy /robot /robotics /video /do it yourself /education /teaching /STEM /science /technology Reblogged from: Sparx / Post was created by: getsparx Reblog notes: 5 notes