Making refers to a set of activities that can be designed with a variety of learning goals in mind. A key goal of maker-centered learning is to help young people and adults feel empowered to build and shape their worlds. Acquiring this sense of maker empowerment is strongly supported by learning to notice and engage with the designed dimension of one’s physical and conceptual environment—in other words, by having a sensitivity to design. This sensitivity develops when young people and adults have opportunities to look closely and reflect on the design of objects and systems, explore the complexity of design, and understand themselves as designers of their worlds.

Digital Pedagogy Institute

The Digital Pedagogy Institute is a joint program with the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching (CSET) designed to help educators in developing effective teaching practices using technological tools and thinking routines, empowering students to develop their identities as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and designers.

Making Spaces

Making can happen in a variety of places that may be labeled “makerspaces” as well as in classrooms, museums, libraries, studios, homes, or garages. They are fundamentally places to design, explore, and create. As part of Making Spaces: Expanding Maker Education Across the Nation, a nationwide program supported by Google, SMCOE is partnering with the Maker Education Initiative (Maker Ed) and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (CMP) to provide local schools with guidance, professional development, and support to jumpstart and sustain maker education in classrooms. Learn more about SMCOE and Making Spaces.

STEAM Lending Library

The STEAM Center runs a lending library where educators can check out STEAM-related books and hands-on kits for classroom and training use. Note that due to high demand, kits can only be checked out to a classroom for one week. View the STEAM lending library and request to check out books and kits.

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Portions of this work have been made possible through the generous funding by Oracle Giving.