Formal K-12 education systems based on standards of knowledge and ability are too often used to divide and undervalue students based on a small set of measurable skills. Maker projects, by contrast, are inherently open-ended, hands-on, playful activities. Students can express newfound skills and knowledge by creating a work of art or a functional invention. In the process of Making, students often learn more deeply about core content because they begin to ask their own questions in order to Make things they care about.
In these ways, Making promotes rich learning experiences - hard to measure on tests, but essential practice for real-world experiences awaiting students. The essence of the Maker movement is democratizing innovation: giving everyone the tools to create, the courage to fail, and the empathy to solve problems as a community. Our success as a civilization may depend on our ability to empower all people and work together for a common good. |
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