Invent to Learn: Chapters 4-6

Wow, chapters 4-6 were packed with theory, planning guidelines, tips and tons of ideas about how to integrate making into your students’ day.

Chapter 4

This chapter was about the important aspects of project-based learning and how to create project questions that will stimulate your students’ natural curiosity and interest.  Below is a word cloud of our highlighted sections in this chapter.

Chapter 4 Word Cloud

This chapter is best summed up for me with this quote from chapter 4, “When we talk about a ‘project,’ what we mean is work that is substantial, sharable and personally meaningful.”  Often teachers are intimidated when they consider turning over the learning to students in a substantial way.  That can be intimidating!  Considering the 8 elements of a good project outlined by the authors is something we will be doing when planning projects for our maker space this year. Projects-based learning really honors a students learning style and intelligences (Gardner).

The authors of Invent to Learn also stressed the importance of asking good questions.  This seems like one of the most challenging parts of project based learning.  Questions need to be substantial, lead to complex thinking, be based on real-world problems and be broad enough to engage a variety of learners & invite innovation. Good inquiry questions capture a students’ imagination and sparks creativity.

Teachers need to give up control during project-based learning and take on a supportive role to allow students to construct knowledge and think critically.  Lesson plans need to remain flexible and allow for student direction.  If done well, projects will be memorable and meaningful our students.

Chapter 5

The essence of this chapter is “less us, more them” and we couldn’t agree more. We need to create the conditions for students to learn from their successes and failures using a design cycle.  The authors suggest teachers allow students to think through problems and determine solutions on their own.  Too often as teachers we want to “fix” or “help” students and we don’t allow them to struggle.  Students need to learn “productive struggle” and persevere when things get tough.  As teachers, we need to know when to give a little (as little as necessary according to the authors) support to our students to keep them moving, but not so much that we prescribe the solution.

Constructivism and the maker movement both employ student-centered learning, inquiry-based learning opportunities.  Students construct meaning based on interests and is contrasted with instructionalism (aka. direct instruction) in education.  This year we will look for ways to create experiences that will lead our students to deep thinking and big ideas. While the authors don’t discourage instruction, they encourage us to do so in a limited way and turn over the learning to students.  Technology and the materials in our maker space will allow students to learn by doing and persevere when things get challenging.  One area that may be challenging is training our students to take charge of their own learning.  Many of our students are used to being told what to do and when to do it.  This will be a shift for many.  Our goal this year is to encourage and value tinkering. This will require us to foster a culture of risk taking.

The design process, and all processes in general, have steps in the process.  The authors encourage us to use the design process as a tool, not a requirement.  It reminds us of the writing process and how some teachers require graphic organizers and revising as an event.  The design process is a guide, not a bible.  If kids are working productively, let them.

Chapter 6

This chapter encouraged teachers to focus on what they have, not what they don’t.  The wonderful think about tinkering and making is you can use LOTS of different materials.  We are reminded of the design technology movement a decade ago.  Students use lots of different materials to solve a challenge.  Technology provides teachers and students with many tools that were previously not available.  Students can create with cardboard, computers, or 3D printers. There are limitless possiblitlities and we are going to use our “Shoestring Budget” to provide our students with an amazing maker space!

Finally we were encouraged to “use familiar materials to learn in unfamiliar ways,” and we couldn’t agree more. The toy hacking activity during Create, Make, Learn embodied this idea!

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *