a microcontroller to block a car key. I was sold.
My next question: How could one amplify the
experience with academic learning?
I went on to join the Beam Center in NYC
in 2014 with the goal of bringing making to
teachers. I created a program for public high-
schools’ teachers that would help bridge making
and academic learning through project-based
learning. Teachers partnered with artists and
engineers to design big projects where students
could apply the curriculum. The program grew
and has reached thousands of students and more
than 100 teachers. But those activities occurred a
few times per year, even when the improvements
in students’ learning and engagement were
visible. I started wondering if making was a
complementary activity or its own way of learning.
How would it look like for a school to turn all its
curriculum into projects?
I had the opportunity to find out when I became
the Founding Director of Learning Design and
Research at Portfolio School in 2016, a project-
Pilar Perez, Doug Schachtel
based learning independent micro-school in NYC.
This was a dream come true. With the mission
of redesigning schooling given everything we
know today about learning, we eliminated tests,
grades, 45 minute schedules, and created a
learning framework where making became a tool
to apply and internalize powerful human ideas.
Through four years of this experience, I can say
with certainty that making is a fundamental piece
of learning, a piece that gives tangible form to
a legacy of human ideas while adding personal
meaning. For everyone, since kindergarten.
And now I’m so happy and excited to join Make:
as Director or Learning, where I have applied
all the lessons of this journey to launch Make:
Learning Labs. We’ve spent months setting it up
and look forward to connecting with you about it
further. See you there.
23
makeprojects.com
Culturally Relevant
Projects
Local and contextualized projects
Project-Management
Methodologies
Agile, Scrum
Problem-Solving
Trajectory
Practices and reflections
Mentorship
From talent discovery to purpose
Cutting Edge Technology
AI, Textiles, Robotics, CNC, 3D
Make:
Learning
Labs
Find more information about the Make:
Learning Labs at learn.make.co.
M75_018-23_LearnLab_F1.indd 23M75_018-23_LearnLab_F1.indd 23 10/10/20 10:28 AM10/10/20 10:28 AM
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.