Tinkering and Making in the IWS - Sam S.

After reading this week's article, I noticed several similarities and differences between the after-school program described by the authors, and Innovation Workshop programs we offer in MOXI. I think that both programs have their own advantages and challenges, and are better suited to different aspects of "learning dimensions of making and tinkering" as described in the the article.

In the context of tinkering learning dimensions, the IWS definitely lends itself most to the dimensions of creativity/self-expression, and to initiative/intentionality. We offer materials, a theme, and guidance, but guests who enter our maker space have almost complete agency in determining what they will create, what their goals are, and how to measure success in their process. Additionally, guests rarely enter the workshop alone, and are instead part of a family or other small group. This inherently lends itself to collaboration and sharing of ideas in making something that can usually be taken home and enjoyed later. Especially for younger guests, the IWS provides a valuable opportunity to build creative skills with the comfort of a parent or other caretaker nearby and helping.

However, I think some of these strengths that the structure of IWS offers may also detract from some other elements of tinkering learning dimensions, and I wonder what could be altered in the space or the programming to address these challenges. For instance, the benefits that come with families engaging together in making activities may also discourage development of independent problem solving skills. Parents don't enjoy seeing their children fail, even if it is constructive, and will often intervene in designs or construction before a teachable and often reversible error is made. Similarly, I've often found that parents will encourage their kids to approach a project that they think is "age-appropriate," often underestimating their child's ability or devaluing the act of aiming high for its learning potential. Finally, the iterative process of tinkering is often (though not always) discouraged by parents without the patience to stay in the IWS for a long period of time.

A few questions:
- Can programming be designed to encourage certain aspects of the tinkering learning dimensions that the IWS doesn't naturally lend itself to? What sort of activities would facilitate iteration, collaboration, and sharing of ideas across projects?
- Is there a way to make the goals of the IWS more clear to adults entering the room, so as to make certain learning outcomes more likely with their buy-in?
- Is there a way to encourage independent learning outside of a family context in the IWS? Any way to make tinkering a more social activity by allocating time for certain age groups to participate and create without direct adult involvement? Does this even fit into the goals we have for the IWS?

-Sam Shaw