Banao Bus Teacher Handbook : Agastya International Foundation

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Who is a maker? .............................................................05 What is the maker movement? ................................06 India and the maker movement ...............................08 What does maker education mean?.........................10 What is the vision for the Agastya Curiosity Carnival Program?.............................................................11 Structure of the program .............................................12 Session plan ...................................................................... 13 Set up and assembly ......................................................14 What is your role as an instructor? ...........................15 Guiding principles: high level ......................................16 Guiding principles: sessions level ..............................17 Discussion sections .........................................................18 Sample reflection questions ........................................18 Working on projects .......................................................19 Assessments for projects ............................................20 Surveys ...............................................................................20 Session Plans .....................................................................21

Hello, instructor! How do you feel, starting off on this journey with the Banao bus to inspire young minds?

Excited? Overwhelmed?

This handbook is here to ease some fears, to refer back to when you are confused, and to be a guide when you are lost. Let’s set some basics right, before we jump into the plan for the program.

WHO IS A MAKER?

A maker is a person who learns by doing. Anybody can be a maker – from any age, gender, socio-economic background or profession. In India, we have a strong culture of making by hand in craft and textiles, one of the largest creative workforces in the world and manufacturing industries working with cutting edge technologies in Medicine, Engineering, Biotechnology, Space etc.

All these people are makers. At every corner of the country, people can be seen innovating, some with low costs at a small scale, and some with larger targets.

We can all be inventors.

Be it a farmer using a new way to control pests or an ISRO scientist sending spacecraft to Mars, innovation is everywhere.

Each and every one of us can use innovative thinking and making skills to improve our lives and the lives of people around us.

Today, especially in the west, people think of the ‘Maker Movement’ when they think of innovators or makers.

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WHAT IS THE MAKER MOVEMENT?

From 2000 onwards, in the United States people started to place value on tinkering at home with the latest technology and becoming innovative entrepreneurs.

Manufacturing jobs were lost to countries like China that were much cheaper than the US, but the people didn’t lose the love for making or tinkering. The rise of the internet allowed these tinkerers to connect with each other, ask questions and share pictures.

These like-minded people started a movement.

The movement caught the attention of schools and educators in the country because it made inventing and building things so accessible and easy that children could easily get into it. Jobs also needed students to have a design and innovation mindset. The US government felt that a more creative workforce that would drive innovation would dominate world economy. The movement got political and government backing, funds and publicity.

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A magazine called ‘MAKE’ also came up at this time (2004) and it is generally credited with the start of the movement. They organised ‘Maker Faires’ that today, draw millions around the globe. This gave innovators a platform to share their creations with the world and become successful entrepreneurs, funded by a new breed of investors called venture capitalists.

Many companies that started off tiny became hugely popular, successful and profitable. The US may have lost out on manufacturing, but it had regained power on innovation.

Many beginner- and child-friendly tools, both digital and physical, were designed in response to this movement. 3D printing, coding, microprocessors, etc had a huge audience to cater to because of this movement. It became easier and easier to invent.

The idea of hands-on education is not new. In the west, right from thinkers like Dewey in the 1850s, Piaget in the 1890s to Papert 1990s, educationists accept that teaching hands-on is one of the most effective pedagogies.

However, the implementation of this in schools is finally happening more strongly in the last 20 years after it can be seen and proved that innovation in STEM fields and creative jobs are financially stable.

However, the flood of innovators in the world after this movement means that millions of new things and start-ups are created every year. It has become harder to become successful by tinkering or imagining a new way. Some of these innovators forget the core of innovation – addressing a real need. Thus, not only do we need to introduce making in schools but sow the seed of tackling real problems early.

The maker movement continues to grow and reach more children each day. Countries all around the world are making government level decisions to include making in schools. In fact, countries that were outsource markets for US manufacturing are also investing in maker education (i.e. Asia).

It will still be a few years before we are able to see the effects of widespread attention on creativity and innovation in education around the world, as most of the young people educated this way are yet to come into the workforce.

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INDIA AND THE MAKER MOVEMENT

As with everything else in India, innovation and making are linked to our history and culture.

The value of handmade products and the social standing of makers has been inconsistent across our political history.

Our country has some of the richest craft in the world - every district of every state is known for a different form. Our colonizers, after the industrial revolution, turned our society from creators into consumers for their manufactured goods. The value of our highly evolved craft traditions died, and the makers of these crafts became almost obsolete.

Manufacturing progress is still slow today, and craft revival even slower.

Our textiles, once famous in every part of the world, have had to struggle to survive modernization. In the last few decades, some of these crafts have been revived, become both economically viable and prided worldwide. However, being a craftsman still remains profession without enough respect or money. In countries like Japan or Germany, traditional or modern crafts are both highly paid for and highly respected.

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To further develop the economic, social and intellectual power of Indian creators, an understanding of innovation and design will be crucial for the coming generations.

Instead of letting technology wipe out our traditions or being wary of its effects, our people need to be empowered to use it for their benefit. If we can speak the same language as the most advanced in the field, it will be a huge step towards a more just and equal society. Instead of letting others decide the fate of our professions and traditions, we must empower each and every kind of creator in our country to develop themselves.

The Government of India set up technical training, engineering and design colleges after Independence in 1947, for higher education. However, talking about design or innovation in schools in India is very new. The Atal Innovation Mission has tried to match up to the global Maker education trend by funding and conceptualizing Tinkering Labs in many schools all over the country. This program is young, and a lot of work on getting teachers to understand the value of this and getting students to use these labs well is yet to be done.

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WHAT DOES MAKER EDUCATION MEAN? Maker education can mean different things to different people.

To some, it is a way to study a particular subject (like Computer Science) further by using Activity based/ Project Based learning.

To some, the focus is on technical skills of a particular kind, for example, coding or woodworking.

To some, it is a method of learning Design Thinking, where students improve their creative and problem-solving skills by tackling a real-world issue.

THIS PROGRAM IS OF THE THIRD KIND.

All you have to do to make your classroom a “maker� classroom is allow children to make rather than memorize or mimic.

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WHAT IS THE VISION FOR THE AGASTYA CURIOSITY CARNIVAL PROGRAM? Spark Nurture

Instil

Agastya aims to create a behaviour change and transform attitudes from

• • • • •

This program has the same vision, through a slightly different pedagogy.

Students will be introduced to the design thinking process and new tools for making. The main tools we are focussing on are hand tools, digital fabrication (3D printing etc.) and basic electronics. These additional skills that being promoted because they are easy to learn and students can quickly see results when they make things. The technologies also spark scientific questioning and WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS NOT A vocational training course A place to start a business A competition for the best new innovation A place where only high-tech projects, made by one kind of person are encouraged Demonstrations and teacher-led projects

Yes to why Looking to observing Passiveness to exploring Textbook-bound to hands-on Fear to confidence strengthen the understanding of school subjects. Other making skills like crochet, weaving, craft etc. must be encouraged as well. Students will be ‘learning to learn’ about the world in a more integrated manner.

Through the creations of these students, school teachers and administrators can grasp the value of design and innovation in a visible and practical manner.

WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS A learning space for students and teachers A short, project-based course A place for encouragement and growth of all students A place where all forms of making and all makers are respected Hands on learning through making

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So now that you’ve got the history and geography of this program in mind, let’s see what you’ll be doing with the students.

STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM Each session lasts 2.5 hours (150 minutes).

Instructors will need about 30 minutes before the session to set up. You will be conducting 7 sessions with each group of students over the course of 2 months. At the end of the 2 months, a carnival will be held to share, learn more and celebrate.

IN EACH SESSION, STUDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT

Design thinking / Innovation Process (Discussion, drawings, small exercises)

Various new tools (Projects, challenges)

It will be important for you and for Agastya to document what is happening in the session. Click a lot of photos and make notes at the end of the session.

Share with other instructors how the session went via the WhatsApp group, we can all learn from each other.

The pair of instructors conducting the sessions should complement each other well. Figure out each other’s strengths.

Over the months you will see which sessions to take the lead in and which sessions to support the other instructor in. Both instructors should to have their attention towards the group, or some of the students pick up the energy of the un-involved instructor.

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SESSION PLAN

Once you conduct your first few sessions, the flow will get set in your mind. Your initiatives to add your creativity into it will only make it better, as you alone can see how each group of children is responding to it.

Your co-instructor and you would be great assets to each other. Here is a brief overview of the sessions. The ppt has more details.

Feel Introduction to design + innovation Introduction to tools and materials SURVEY 1

Choose + Try Rube goldberg machine Make 3 prototypes

Feel + Imagine Group discussions about problem areas Interviews Brainstorm Start the dream learning space

Make Finish prototypes Work on final

Choose 3D printing + cretile electronics kit Brainstorm Choose the final project Finish the dream classroom

Make Work on final Work on videos

Voting + End Presentations Voting Reflection Survey Certificates

Don’t panic if you can’t cover all the topics in the first few sessions, there is time in the end, and you will learn to manage it. The carnival will also have zones where interested students can revisit these missed out topics.

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SET UP AND ASSEMBLY

Prior to starting at the school, take this checklist along to make sure that these will be available when you start there. Visit every school the bus will go to at least 1 week in advance to make sure of the setup.

Checklist: Dedicated school teacher in charge 30 students attending from 7th-10th std Power supply - if it is not consistent, plan for the generator in the bus to be nearby.

Space for Bus Space for class – indoor or outdoor

MAKE SURE THAT THE SPACE YOU ARE GIVEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE 7 WEEKS THAT YOU VISIT.

All the materials in the bus/van are arranged according to 7 categories. There will be two instructors in each bus, and they will be responsible for the set up of each category. Every day, all the items other than the “Raw materials” category will be brought out.

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1.

Power Tools

2.

Electronic Parts

3.

Electronic Hardware

4.

Hand Tools and hardware

5.

Craft Supplies

6.

Cleaning Supplies

7.

Raw Materials

It is important that all the items be brought to class, so that students can explore them and be curious about how each thing works right from the start. Even if a group doesn’t end up using a particular tool, seeing someone else use it will be inspiring.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS AN INSTRUCTOR?

“A maker educator is a coach who inspires learners to build technical skills and creative mindsets through hands-on projects and experiential learning.� Autodesk maker manual.

Traditionally, a teacher is expected to hold the attention of a large group of students. Children are sometimes interested in the subject matter alone.

However, more often, the subject is dry and presented without energy, so attention wanders. This means that effective teachers have to either be great performers or powerful speakers or inspire fear in the child.

When we shift towards hands on learning, the students have much more to do, and the teacher has much less to say.

Your classroom will be a hands-on classroom - where the students are talking and questioning much more than the teacher. There are many tips ahead for each part of the program, but over the months you will learn from your mistakes best.

As an interface between the school and the Agastya Program, you will be responsible for inspiring the school admin and teachers to be excited about this program and create a buzz around Carnivals as well. Teachers must see a value in this mode of learning and encourage students to work on projects even when the bus is gone. If the teacher involved is interested in students making something for a particular subject, encourage one group of students to work with the teacher.

Including making-based projects regularly in school will help students a lot. Even homework projects can involve children making something. The program has elements of all the science subjects, languages and arts.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES: HIGH LEVEL

Including all students, ensuring participation

Optimal level of failure, frustration “HARD FUN�

Encouraging girls to work with hardware, boys to do crafts

Letting the students discover and apply themselves

Taking care of group dynamics + ensuring shy students have a role

Intervening when it gets too frustrating

Relatable projects, Reflection

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Process over product

Making a habit of writing/ thinking about what was made and learn

Remind them frequently that they are doing this to learn

Making sure the final project relates to their real world: i.e. no rocket launchers, hovercrafts

Display at carnival shows, learnings

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: SESSIONS LEVEL

Students respond to a solid lesson plan Tell them the plan and ask for their help to finish it in the given time. Don’t try to punish, they are old enough to take responsibility. Classroom discipline is not a priority here, we are trying to inculcate self-discipline instead. The second half of the class is going to get noisy, busy, full of movement and running around. Be prepared for it. If it’s not busy, something’s not right.

Safety while using power tools and sharp tools is the primary concern.

Make sure they understand the risks of using these tools and do not work unsafely. However, remember that somebody is bound to get hurt. Keep a first aid kit handy at all times. Know where the nearest hospital / doctor is in case of injury. Do not panic if this happens and keep a schoolteacher involved at all times.

Students should be encouraged to speak and question what is being done.

After introducing a new skill or topic, always ask “Why are we learning this?”. Make that connection with the real world. Don’t provide answers to reflection questions, because there is no right or wrong. Count to 10 in your head before the asking for responses again, children take a little time to think, frame the answer and have the courage to raise their hand.

Set the expectation that they will clean up after themselves after their making session and provide 5 minutes at the end of every session just for cleaning.

While cleaning up, make sure that items are kept back in place and material is used optimally and re-used whenever possible. The bin should only contain dust/completely unusable items. Scrap is a great resource for future projects.

At the end of every session, you will sit in a circle and each person will get a chance to speak about the day.

They can talk about the session or about any other topic that seems to be important to the class at the time. This is a ‘Reflection’ session, and no topic is too small/big/silly/serious for this time. There will be a guiding question, but if the discussion goes off topic, let it flow. Students can react to each other with questions, pose more discussions topics and argue with the question itself. Sometimes, students may be too tired or distracted for this as well, so let them off.

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DISCUSSION SECTIONS

The discussion parts of the program can be more important than the making parts of the program. Children are not generally encouraged to speak about their opinions and articulate their critical thoughts. The discussion sections are built up by asking questions that don’t have a fixed answer.

While in these discussions, imagine yourself as a part of that group, as their equal. Imagine you are discussing the latest news with your friends, all of you with your own opinions. This is not a space for instructions.

Rather than calling upon a few select students; each student must get a chance to speak. You will find that in the first few sessions, a few students will stay quiet.

For each student, observe their body language. Before repeating questions, count up to 10 in your head. Give them the time to form thoughts into words. By the end of the program, all the students should be able to speak a few sentences in front of the group that articulate their opinions, emotions or thoughts.

SAMPLE REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Add/subtract/ change these as you go along Session 1:

Session 5

Choose an object from your surroundings that reflects something about yourself in it. Why did you choose it?

What is the toughest part of building something? What’s the easiest part? And, which do you enjoy, the tough part or the easy part?

Session 2: What are some of the issues you have noticed in your school? How do they affect you or others?

Session 6 Which part of this process has been the most interesting to you? What would you like to take forward in your life from here?

Session 3: Why did we try to think of 100 ideas?

Was it a big pressure to keep thinking of more or did you get better ideas as you went ahead?

Session 4: hy did we try to build 3 prototypes instead of 1? Are you happy with what you have after considering the options or do you have 1 plan and stick to it throughout? Why?

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Session 7 How has this program been? Name one bad thing about it and one good thing.

Try to help us improve it.

WORKING ON PROJECTS

In the project stage, imagine yourself to be the coach of a huge cricket team. Cheer them on! Advise them on how to play.

Give them the best medicine if they get hurt, train them to succeed. But! You can’t play the match for them.

You are responsible for bringing out the best in each child.

You will gauge the strengths of each child in the group and help them contribute their best to the project. Listen to each student, observe them when they are working, and intervene when you see things going off track.

Each group will face their own challenges, and the instructor’s role may be different for each child and each group.

One group may need to be pushed to do more, one group may be too ambitious and need pulling down.

The most common mistake seen in these situations is that instructors try to take over the entire project after is goes off track.

The students then lose interest because the project no longer feels like their

own. This will be the toughest part of instructing, because you will see a lot of ways to do the project your way.

But remember, it is the children’s project, not yours.

Keep a check on their energy levels and bring in small energizer games.

Ask students if they want to play. In some situations, more than half the class will.

In some situations, most of them will be too involved in their projects. Go with the flow.

Don’t worry if you don’t know how to make particular thing, or if you don’t have the knowledge of a particular subject.

Use the internet, pick up new skills, and teach students how to learn skills on their own. You just need the curiosity and initiative.

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ASSESSMENTS FOR PROJECTS

Traditional assessments and tests place a lot of value on rote learning and memory power. However, maker education cannot be assessed by these types of assessments. You might be wondering why we even need assessments in a makerspace.

The strength of a maker program in education is that it helps students face challenges and not fear failure. Therefore, the assessment can’t be a “Pass-Fail� system, because failure helps us. We will therefore only measure the growth that a student has had. Both the student and the teacher need to observe growth in abilities and mindsets. Assessments also help students reflect on what they have done and compare themselves to each other in a constructive way.

The assessment criteria are designed to talk about growth and learning. The way we choose projects to display at the carnival is by voting. Each student gets two votes (two stickers) and they can place the sticker on the group that meets the criteria as mentioned in the PPT. Make this a silent voting process, in which the students can only speak for their project if there is a tie.

SURVEYS The students will be expected to complete two surveys that assess their abilities- one before and one after the program. Make sure that the students realise that this is not a test, it is for our understanding as an organization about the effectiveness of the program.

Links to the pdfs are given here. Print and distribute in the first and last session.

We hope you now feel ready to guide a group of students to bring about changes in their school and in their lives. Encourage the students with potential to take up careers in science, technology and design fields, look for other strengths in the students who are not strongly involved and make this program a happy place for each child.

The responsibility and power of this program is now in your hands!

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SESSION PLAN

TIME

DETAILS

MATERIALS

5

Meditation

Dhurries

20

Introduction through objects

Common stationery, leaves etc

5

Discussion: Man Made vs Natural

Same as above

30

Group activity: how things are made

Stationery kit, A4 papers

5

Video + discussion on jugaad and innovation

Laptop, Projector, Power

5

What is this program?

-

10

Student survey 1

Survey sheets

60

Tools and materials demo

Group 1: Hand tools Dremel Jigsaw Lathe Wood MDF Heavy Table Face mask

SESSION 1

Group 2: Kit4curious 5

Clean-up

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection (Fill up book at home)

Student workbook

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

5

Video about schools

Laptop, Projector, Power

2

Discussion: similarities and differences

-

20

Discussion: Improvements in your school

Blackboard, Chalk

5

Interview: intro

-

25

Interview: Go out and do

Student workbook, tablet

5

Watch other students’ videos

Laptop, Projector, Power

10

Discuss the interviews

-

60

Design your dream learning space

Cardboard Stationery Kits Jigsaw MDF Fevicol etc String Clay Kit4curious

SESSION 2

Face Mask 5

Cleanup

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection

Student workbook

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TIME

DETAILS

MATERIALS

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

10

Intro to 3D modelling (in groups)

Laptops, chargers, mouse, some 3D printed objects

10

Intro to 3D printing (full class)

3D printer

30

3 D printing assignment

Laptops

30

Cretile kit assignment (Project 1 & 4)

-

20

Finish the model from the last session

Survey sheets

15

Brainstorming

Card sheet paper (A2)

5

Clean-up

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection (Fill up book at home)

Student workbook

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

5

Intro to Rube Goldberg machine (videos)

Laptops, chargers, mouse

60

Make!

All materials

35

Intro to Prototyping

Laptops

60

Make!

All materials

5

Clean-up

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection (Fill up book at home)

Student workbook

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

5

See other students’ work

Laptops, chargers, mouse

120

Make!

All materials

10

Clean-up

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection (Fill up book at home)

Student workbook

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

5

How to tell a good story

Laptops, chargers, mouse

20

Plan what to say in the video

Paper, pencils, student workbooks

100

Make the video / make the model

All materials, Tabs, phones (?)

10

Clean-up

Brooms Dustpan Dustbin

5

Reflection (Fill up book at home)

Student workbook

5

Meditation

Dhurries

5

Recap

-

30

Present the videos

Laptops, chargers, mouse, projector

20

Voting

Post-its /stickers

30

Reflection

-

30

Survey 2

20

Certificates

SESSION 3

SESSION 4

SESSION 5

SESSION 6

SESSION 7

22

Student workbook