The Maker Movement places emphasis on the importance of making things by hand. The movement encourages people to actively participate in the development of their own goods and solutions using digital equipment (Halverson & Sheridan, 2014, p. 495). According to a study by Halverson and Sheridan (2014), constructionism and the Maker Movement can improve student involvement, motivation, and learning results. They argue that these methods' hands-on approach enables learners to explore their interests and gain a sense of control over their education as they learn by doing and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways by using technology to construct and create.
Building an irrigation system with code where Students build an automated system that tracks soil moisture and adjusts irrigation using software like Microbit is a
a project that gives students a chance to put their studies into practice by combining
engineering, coding, and environmental science.
This project fits with the Working Scientifically and Design and Production skills, in the Science and Technology component of the NSW K–6 Syllabus. The curriculum states that students should "create and employ questions...to examine their Irrigation system built by S.F and team during tutorial
world" as well as "investigate their both natural and artificial settings, particularly those that are located locally." Students can explore their surroundings and ask questions about how plants develop and how to conserve water by using coding to build an irrigation system.
Although Microbit can be a beneficial tool for teaching students how to code in the context of constructionism, it also has several limitations that should be considered. Students need to have specific abilities and materials to finish a Microbit project effectively.
They should have a basic knowledge of electronics and coding, which might be difficult for some students to grasp. To get over this difficulty, instructors may need to assign beginning tasks that help students develop their fundamental skills, like setting up an easy LED light or
How to use Microbit by S.F
creating a simple circuit. Students also require a friendly setting where they can experiment and make mistakes without feeling intimidated by failure.
Constructionism and the Maker Movement can improve student involvement, motivation, and learning results, according to a study by Halverson and Sheridan (2014). They argue that these methods' hands-on approach enables learners to explore their interests and gain a sense of control over their education.
Coding an irrigation system is a great example of how modern technology can be used in the classroom to foster creativity and enhance problem-solving abilities.
References
The micro:bit Educational Foundation. (2021). micro:bit software. Retrieved from https://microbit.org/get-started/editor/
Halverson, E. R., & Sheridan, K. (2014). The maker movement in education. Harvard Educational Review, 84(4), 495-504.
NSW Education Standards Authority. (2021). Science and technology K-6. Retrieved from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/science/science-k-6
Hey Souraya,
Your blog on the maker movement was a really fascinating read, I found the description and explanation of what it is very clear and it allowed me to really understand the rest of the post.
Adding the examples of what you created in tutorials helped to create an understanding of the usefulness in class and the possibilities that can be made available with technologies like the microbit that encourage students to make things by hand.
I would really love to see how we could use these technologies or similar ones in other KLAs, or possibly have a look into that being a limitation of the tech.
Keep up the good work.
- Jordan
Hi Souraya,
Your blog post on the Maker Movement and its impact on education is insightful, and you provide a great example of how technology can be used to promote student engagement and problem-solving skills. You have identified a relevant project idea that combines engineering, coding, and environmental science that is aligned with the NSW K-6 Syllabus.
You have also highlighted the importance of creating a friendly learning environment that allows students to experiment and make mistakes without feeling intimidated by failure. This is crucial in promoting a growth mindset and allowing students to take risks and develop their skills.
You have also provided an insight into the limitations such as the need for students to have specific abilities and…
Zeyba Orya (11/04/2023)
Hi Souraya,
I really enjoyed reading this post about how constructionism and the maker movement can foster creativity. The layout of your blog is really nice and very easy to read.
I do agree that the maker movement can without a doubt promote creativity as it enables students to make things by hand and to “actively participate in the development of their own goods”. I love your activity idea about building an irrigation system using microbic. This would be great to use in science !
Thank you providing us a video on how you used the emerging technology. A very creative approach.
I do also agree with your limitations. I myself had trouble getting my head…
Hi Souraya,
I really enjoyed reading your blog! The videos are really interesting.
You discussed the potential advantages of the maker movement for students in terms of increasing engagement, inspiration, and learning achievement. And gave suggestions on designing of activity that involves Micro:bit into the classroom. However, you could improve the content by giving more detailed examples of how constructionism and the Micro:bit can be used in the classroom, and also explain more on how students' creativity is fostered.
Yuanyuan Lv
(11/04/2023)