Responsible and involved citizenship in Grand Isle<\/h1>\n

<\/a>We’re looking at how maker-centered learning and makerspace activities can help support students in developing Vermont’s five transferable skills<\/a>. We’ve looked at clear and effective communication<\/a>, self-direction<\/a>, and creative and practical problem-solving<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, we recount EMMA’s visit to Grand Isle School, where teachers and students used making as part of service learning and provided evidence of <\/span>responsible and involved citizenship.<\/b><\/p>\n

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As students and teachers become makers their capacity to find and solve problems grows in ways that can serve others around them. Using the Stanford d.school Design Thinking approach, \u00a0the students and teachers at Grand Isle School were able to \u201clight up\u201d their annual Decade Dance in a way that engaged even their youngest learners. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Decade Dance is an annual project-based learning experience that combines a social event with physical fitness in a way that enhances community life. Students learn new dances and teach them to each other and to community members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During EMMA\u2019s visit to Grand Isle school, the students and teachers used design thinking to consider how they might teach younger students to light up an article of clothing to make their dance experience even more fun. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of the day was spent inventing new possibilities for adding circuits into clothing that one might wear to a dance. The students were given maker materials and asked to create something wearable that lights up. Duct tape, copper tape, batteries and LEDs were quickly transformed into neckties, bow ties, and hair clips. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prototypes were created and shared by both students and teachers. Maker-centered learning often shifts the roles of educators as they learn alongside their students.<\/p>\n