Design Studio- A Makers' Research and Development Hub in Aashiana, Lucknow for grade 10+ students
A big part of learning and education lies in experiences, awareness and freedom. With our design studio, we aim to empower and build on to our community of young makers by:
A big part of learning and education lies in experiences, awareness and freedom. With our design studio, we aim to empower and build on to our community of young makers by:
- helping them tinker, innovate and make freely based on their intuitions and creativity
- helping them develop scientific temper, visible thinking, humanism, and the spirit of problem-solving, inquiry and reform
We find 'making' and playing and 'tinkering' as the fastest, most effective ways of learning and understanding concepts. That alone became the biggest driving force behind setting up a Research and Development hub for our team, children and the young people we engage with. Be it making puppets, be it rehearsing our characters, be it building concepts into games, or just being makers in a safe space, where we can experiment and expereince the 'how's and 'why's of learning - we put together our Design Studio! Because maker-centered learning is now at the core of all that we do.
Why Maker-Centered Learning?
Maker spaces, dedicated areas where people can engage in hands-on projects and creative activities, serve as powerful educational tools. They provide an environment where students can experiment, build, and learn through practical experience. We at Swatantra Talim are big upholders of creativity and hands-on-making because we believe that once we do, create, make and learn something via our hands, it says in our system and skillset.
Maker-centered learning helps children in not one or two, but several ways:
- - Fostering Creativity and Innovation: Maker spaces encourage children to turn ideas into tangible products. By working on projects, children apply theoretical knowledge to practical tasks, enhancing their creativity and problem-solving skills. The sheer freedom to experiment and make mistakes promotes a growth mindset. Children learn to iterate on their ideas, developing innovative solutions and learning from failures.
- - Promoting STEM Education: Maker spaces often combine elements of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Diverse projects and problems to work on, often make learning more cohesive and relevant. Children get to apply STEM concepts in real-world contexts, which helps them understand abstract concepts through hands-on experiences.
- - Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills via Design Thinking: Working on complex projects requires children to plan, analyze, and troubleshoot. This develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they address challenges and refine their approaches. Maker spaces often incorporate design thinking processes, which guide children through identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, prototyping, and testing. This approach fosters systematic problem-solving.
- - Encouraging Collaboration and Communication: Many maker space activities are collaborative, requiring children to work in teams, engage, and understand each other’s perspectives. This builds teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to negotiate and compromise.
