“Repair Mindset” — Repair in Schools’ Maker Programs
I’m currently working with Maker educators in the US exploring the premise that Repair enriches Maker pedagogy, and developing tools and strategies for productively integrating Repair into Maker programs in the schools. This current phase focuses on developing a “Repair Mindset”. Tools and skills development will be taken up in future phases.
The purpose of this Restart posting is to ask if anyone:
- has ideas and/or resources to contribute to our Phase One research into “Repair Mindset”, and
- knows about Maker Programs that emphasize Repair.
The Backdrop:
Maker programs are being established in more and more schools in the US. Repair’s problem-solving, materials exploration, design orientation, and systems thinking align exquisitely with Maker curricula, structures and objectives, yet Repair takes them further. Moreover, Repair plays a salient role in the environment and in economic systems, both urgent topics in education today.
The Working Group:
Comprised of six educators with extensive experience in school Maker programs, the working group is a collaboration among:
-
Agency by Design Oakland – a Maker-Centered Learning program developed out of a pilot project of Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, operating in Oakland, California, USA. (http://www.abdoakland.org/)
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Maker Ed – an organization providing trainings and resources to integrate maker education into learning environments, operating across the US. (https://makered.org/)
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The Culture of Repair Project – an initiative supporting local cross-sector repair initiatives, operating in The East Bay, California, USA. (https://www.cultureofrepair.org/) (i.e., yours truly)
Phase One Focus:
While attentive to tools and knowledge, in this first phase the group is focused on looking beyond them towards articulating the distinctive characteristics of a “Repair Mindset” that are additive to a “Maker Mindset”, and then developing teaching and learning strategies and tools to support students’ developing those characteristics. (More here: https://www.cultureofrepair.org/repair-making-initiative)
Output:
Output will be disseminated on these and other platforms:
- a workshop at Maker Ed’s October 2019 annual conference (https://makered.org/convening-2019/),
- an open source learning module in Maker Ed’s resources library (https://makered.org/resources/online-learning-modules/)
- a workshop offered on an ongoing basis in Agency by Design’s consultancy program (http://www.abdoakland.org/professionaldevelopment), and
- Agency by Design’s online / open source materials (http://www.abdoakland.org/picturesofpractice).
Material will also be part of AbD’s Project Zero (Harvard Graduate School of Education program) presentation and discussion (already underway). Social media will disseminate links widely.
Future Work:
This first phase of work will conclude with articulating next steps which are anticipated to address:
- more fully developing frameworks, strategies and tools,
- relationship to the environment / integration with schools’ sustainability programs,
- repair of systems (phase one is about objects),
- technical skills, and
- more!
Resources Already In Hand:
Among much more, the group is already drawing from these resources:
- Education Week article posted by Janet
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/01/09/education-has-an-innovation-problem.html - Restart education material, posted and Restart at School
- Repair Cafe In the Classroom materials
- Steven Jackson (I strongly commend! https://sjackson.infosci.cornell.edu/RethinkingRepairPROOFS(reduced)Aug2013.pdf)
- Lara Houston
- Daniela Rosner
Swinging back to my question for Restarters:
Do any of you:
- have ideas and/or resources to contribute to our Phase One research into “Repair Mindset”, and
- know about Maker Programs that emphasize Repair?