College Students Help Increase Creativity in Children
Research shows that hands-on learning helps children understand complex, theoretical ideas. It also helps children perform better in school. But, as some schools cut their budgets, hands-on learning is one of the first things to go. A group of college students wants to do something about that.
Children in a Washington, DC neighborhood are happy about building things they have designed.
The boys and girls are involved in a hands-on learning program offered by SparkTruck. Students from Stanford University in California came up with the idea. Last year, they launched what they call an “educational build-mobile” and took it on the road. They offered classes to almost 3,000 children during a two-month long cross country trip.
SparkTruck is now in its second year. And students from three other California colleges have joined the program. One of them is Benji Kuroda, a student at the Art Center College of Design.
“We are trying to bring creativity and design workshops to kids all over, and bring them prototyping tools and material, and show them that all these things are accessible to them even if they don’t have them at school.”
The children begin by examining different ideas. They then build a model of whatever they have dreamed up. Owen Whitman is taking the class.
“I made a flying Cyclops – just one eye. I had a lot of fun making new stuff and learning how to mind, and electricity works.
“We are not perfect as we are not all designers, we are not all engineers. But we try to bring in what we feel is important as part of a curriculum which is thinking creatively and not being afraid to make mistakes”.
Children get to control LEGO robots. They can experiment with high-technology tools, including a laser cutter and a 3D printer, and more traditional workshop tools, like a hammer. Fadilat Adefola Raji is also taking part in the class.
“It is very nice and I never knew about like how things vibrate. And it was very cool being here and this is also a cool machine.”
Pieces of paper along the top of the truck document every design made by the students. Phyllis Klein is the owner of “Fab Lab, DC.” She led the class in Washington.
“I think what it does is it sparks their imagination. It gives them a window into things that they can do. It shows them what is possible.”
While the SparkTruck team shares their love of hands-on learning, they are also getting something out of it. So says Brittany Hallawell from Stanford University.
“I have learned about how to work with children. I have seen a lot of kids that were about to give up and then ended up making something, which is just really inspiring for me.”
SparkTruck has received some donations from businesses and money from Kickstarter, a website that raises money for creative projects. The student volunteers admit that being on the road for two months can be difficult. But they hope to share the road with even more SparkTrucks in the future.
Children in a Washington, DC neighborhood are happy about building things they have designed.
The boys and girls are involved in a hands-on learning program offered by SparkTruck. Students from Stanford University in California came up with the idea. Last year, they launched what they call an “educational build-mobile” and took it on the road. They offered classes to almost 3,000 children during a two-month long cross country trip.
SparkTruck is now in its second year. And students from three other California colleges have joined the program. One of them is Benji Kuroda, a student at the Art Center College of Design.
“We are trying to bring creativity and design workshops to kids all over, and bring them prototyping tools and material, and show them that all these things are accessible to them even if they don’t have them at school.”
The children begin by examining different ideas. They then build a model of whatever they have dreamed up. Owen Whitman is taking the class.
“I made a flying Cyclops – just one eye. I had a lot of fun making new stuff and learning how to mind, and electricity works.
“We are not perfect as we are not all designers, we are not all engineers. But we try to bring in what we feel is important as part of a curriculum which is thinking creatively and not being afraid to make mistakes”.
Children get to control LEGO robots. They can experiment with high-technology tools, including a laser cutter and a 3D printer, and more traditional workshop tools, like a hammer. Fadilat Adefola Raji is also taking part in the class.
“It is very nice and I never knew about like how things vibrate. And it was very cool being here and this is also a cool machine.”
Pieces of paper along the top of the truck document every design made by the students. Phyllis Klein is the owner of “Fab Lab, DC.” She led the class in Washington.
“I think what it does is it sparks their imagination. It gives them a window into things that they can do. It shows them what is possible.”
While the SparkTruck team shares their love of hands-on learning, they are also getting something out of it. So says Brittany Hallawell from Stanford University.
“I have learned about how to work with children. I have seen a lot of kids that were about to give up and then ended up making something, which is just really inspiring for me.”
SparkTruck has received some donations from businesses and money from Kickstarter, a website that raises money for creative projects. The student volunteers admit that being on the road for two months can be difficult. But they hope to share the road with even more SparkTrucks in the future.
base 군사기지 / sailor 선원 / Capitol Hill 미국 의회
워싱턴 해군 공창 총기 사건
미국인들은 최근 미국에서 발생한 총기 사건에 대해 분노와 슬픔을 표출하고 있다. 이번 사건은 지난 월요일, 워싱턴 D.C의 의사당 건물(the Capitol building)과 멀지 않은 곳에서 일어났다.
