Maker Project

I am going to be completely transparent about this… this Maker Project assignment and the fact that it is worth 25 points really had me stressed out since the beginning of this class. I fully support the mindset of creating and designing, testing and modifying; however, the entire idea of the traditional maker space is not something I can easily do in my home or as a teacher since I have taught fully online for 3 years now. I keep very little clutter in my house (like, I don’t even have a junk drawer). So, without purchasing materials to make something at my home, I don’t have a ton of choices. I also cannot assume that my students will have access to materials at home.

SO, I am going to think outside of the box here and am going to attack this project a little differently. While I understand a MAKER space involves MAKING something physical, I also feel that the Design Thinking Process can transcend beyond making things with cardboard and pipe-cleaners to include math problems and planning lessons or projects. For my maker project assignment, I am going to share something that I am currently working on and it legitimately follows the steps of a typical “maker” project.

Currently, I am working on a part of this design process because my husband and I are teaming up with my parents to build an extension onto their home. We will be living there to provide live-in care for them as they are developing some health issues. I have been in the Empathize-Define-Ideate-Prototype stage for a few weeks now, attempting to create a livable space within limited space and a modest budget. My parents and I have been working together on this. Here is a narrative (with pictures) of this process.

Empathy

My husband and I had plans to build a tiny cabin in the mountains after retirement (like 10 years from now); however, being the only child who can provide care for my parents as they age, we changed our plans and started to rethink our cabin plan. My parents have an area of about 700 square feet available for us to build on to their current home (which is paid off, well maintained, and on an acre of land), so we started the process by identifying what we would need, what issues we would face, what utilities we could share, what type of budget we would need, and what permits or additional information we would need from the township for building.

Define

The goal is to build an addition onto the house and the problem is that we are working with limited space and budget. The other problem is that we have had to give up or compromise on several issues related to building, such as my mom giving up her beloved bathroom window and me foregoing my dream of having a loft space.

Ideate

Prototype

Floor-Planning is a life-long hobby of mine. This may explain why I love teaching dilating and scaling in Geometry so much. There is so much math and art that goes into creating prototypes of building plans. Once we determined our idea, we set out to create our prototype. We have actually gone through at least 5 revisions of our “idea” after testing with our architect, so this stage was the most difficult (and heartbreaking) part of the process. We used several materials throughout the prototype and testing process including graph paper, rulers, rolling measuring tape, painter’s tape, and lots of pencils and erasers!

Testing

After meeting with an architect and “testing out” our design plans, we have had to go back SEVERAL times to revise our plans so we have been constantly floating back and forth between the prototype and testing stages. We first designed a space that included a finished off lower level that would be used as a gym and home office. However, the space that would be used as the garage would not work with that finished off section because the turn was too sharp from the driveway to fit the cars into the garage with this finished off space.

After several prototypes and meetings with the architect, we believe we have our final (or hopefully final) draft. We used a rolling tape measure and painter’s tape to “stand inside” the house and test the space to ensure it would be livable. While we have not physically built this addition yet (our builder, who is far more experienced, will handle that), we have been active participants in the design process. We have moved between the prototype and testing stages throughout, and I am confident that the addition will look amazing when it is completed in the fall.

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Reflection

In reflecting on this process, I think the most frustrating and difficult stage was dealing with revisions that resulted in “failed” tests. It was hard for me to rethink my design and I struggled to give up my original plan. I had to be open to suggestions from others on the team (my architect and my builder), and this was challenging. Additionally, it was difficult to give up what I really wanted (like the loft) in order for the house to “work.”

While I do not use physical maker-spaces in my teaching environment, I do see how this is applicable to my daily math lessons. My students may not be creating physical objects, but they are using digital tools to create and work through this process all the time in Geometry. For example, in a recent lesson, students had to create a image through a process of transformations. Students had to work in groups to make a list of possible moves that they could make (prior to testing). Then they had to agree on a set of moves. Then they had to TEST that move with the shape using the software GeoGebra. If the test did not produce the desired results, they had to revise their plan and make revisions based on the test. As the teacher, I rotated throughout the breakout groups as students worked and observed the SAME issue that I have been experiencing with having to revise based on the test. Some students were so stuck on their original plan that they had trouble listening to suggestions for revisions.

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Explain how Papert’s perspective on personal thinking and Courous’ work on growth mindset could be applied to your actions in this activity?

Papert emphasized the importance of constructivist learning, where individuals actively construct knowledge through hands-on experiences and problem-solving. He believed that learning is most effective when it is self-directed and personally meaningful.

My project is hands on (not in the BUILDING sense) but artistically and mathematically. I have been involved in the design and building process, actively engaging in creating prototypes and testing designs. This hands-on approach aligns with Papert’s belief that learning is most effective when learners are actively involved in the process. Throughout this project, I have definitely encountered and resolved various challenges, such as space limitations. This problem-solving aspect is a core element of Papert’s constructivist approach. Finally, this project is very personal and meaningful, as it involves creating a home for my husband and I, as well as a way to care for my aging parents. This personal connection enhances motivation and engagement, which are also key aspects of Papert’s perspective.

Couros advocates for the growth mindset, which emphasizes that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. A growth mindset fosters resilience, a love of learning, and a willingness to embrace challenges and learn from failures. Throughout my project, I have embraced several challenges, some of which have been very frustrating. Instead of being deterred by these setbacks, I have persisted and set out to improve and refine my plans. This willingness to revise my designs and adapt to new information demonstrates a growth mindset. Finally, I have been open to feedback from my architect and builder (and parents), incorporating their suggestions to improve my designs. My openness to learning from others is a key characteristic of a growth mindset.

Closing

As the maker of this project, I have experienced several emotions. I have felt frustrated yet empowered. I have felt excitement and disappointment. However, in the end, I have so much pride in my hard work and have learned so much throughout the process. This project has been such a great learning experience for me and will make me more equipped to help my students when they face productive struggle. Since I teach Geometry and we do a lot with scaling, dilating, transformations and measurement, this may even be a small maker project I could do with my virtual learners such as “redesign your bedroom” and have them go through this process themselves! That would be fun!