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Design & Making |
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 When you are done with this page, click this crank to add it to the model and move on to Step 1: Identify Need. |
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On
this website,we will discuss the ins and outs of incorporating designing
and making in your classroom. What is design? Why invest time in design
and making in the classroom? How can this be done? There will be
examples of student work, ideas from teacher tested classrooms, and
suggestions on how to assess and evaluate the work of students as they
design and make models of their learning. In addition, we will complete and animate the conceptual model of "The Design Process" to the left, and discuss how this web page itself is an example! |
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Let's build a model of The Design Process! |
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What value is there in design and making? | ||
| Throughout
history, people have been making things. Things from as simple as tables
and chairs to as complex as space shuttles. What they made was
determined by what they needed. For example, if a person needed to
travel across large bodies of water, navigation tools were made. If
people lived in a cold climate, homes were made to withstand frigid
temperatures. Over time, the things that people made became more and
more sophisticated. This can be attributed to the amount of available
information, greater understanding of how to use that information, and
advancements in technology. When people make things using information, know how, and technology, they begin to design. Designing is the planning required in making a final product. You can see it in blueprints of buildings, schematic of electrical circuits, and the outline of a teacher's lesson plan. Design is making. Design is imagining. Design is applying knowledge and skills. |
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Why designing and making in the classroom? | ||
| Students
develop skills when they design and make. Design is about creating
something from an idea. Designing and making requires the "designer"
to understand what needs to be done and why, to research possibilities,
to know limitations and criteria for success, to generate ideas, to plan
how to do the work, to make something (artifact, system, or
environment), test, modify, evaluate, and communicate. |
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Why LEGO and LEGO CAD software? | ||
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is a natural attraction to designing and building with LEGO materials.
Children and adults alike can be drawn into the endless possibilities.
From designing and making things that move like cars, airplanes, and
windmills to designing and making everyday objects like houses, bridges,
and monuments, students can bring the world to life by making models. By combining the attraction of LEGO materials and the technology of CAD software, teachers have a powerful set of tools to help build learning experiences for students. The LEGO building kits provide structured activities to introduce physical science concepts, while the LEGO CAD software opens up a wide array of possibilities beyond the boundaries of the kits' building elements. The software provides a 3D building space, a limitless supply of building elements, a journal section for writing, building tips, and design activities. The value of using the two in combination is derived from the variety of learning needs - kinesthetic, visual, spatial, and written. |
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| Links: | Home | - | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | . | LEGO dacta | LEGO Cad | Autodesk | CyberToys | . |