Supporting educators who want to integrate making into their practice is at the heart of what we do. We have a suite of learning opportunities that bring together a combination of in-person and online experiences designed to meet the needs of educators in both formal and informal settings, serving learners of all ages.
Our professional development aims to support educators and their organizations as they integrate maker education into daily practice. Our workshops are hands-on and minds-on. We ask learners to actively participate, with open minds, and approach their experiences with the perspectives of learners in mind. All of our trainings and workshops include dedicated time for reflection—both from the lens of learner and educator. Our work is deeply rooted in the ongoing practice of our team and our community. As research into maker-centered learning evolves, we continually integrate new findings into our approach.
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Our Approach to Professional Development
Experiential: Maker Ed professional learning is hands-on and minds-on. Learners actively participate, and approach their experiences with the perspectives of learners in mind.
Equity: Maker Ed professional learning supports educators to actively design for equity in learning environments, and we build structures to provide a spectrum of entry points for learners of any culture, background, or ability to access a productive experience.
Community: Maker Ed professional learning is built to intentionally provide space and structure for educators to collaborate with and learn from each other, while building relationships and connections across the movement.
Reflective: Maker Ed professional learning includes dedicated time for reflection—both from the lens of learner and educator.
Joy: Maker Ed professional learning is grounded in our belief that the work of learning and creating isn’t sustainable without joy, and opportunities for pleasure and delight play an integral role in being able to imagine and create a vibrant future.
Rooted in Practice: Maker Ed professional learning is deeply rooted in the ongoing practice of our team and the maker education community. As research into maker-centered learning evolves, we continually integrate new findings into our approaches.
Our workshops are built on our professional development skeleton which provides structure towards these approaches.
Testimonials
- “I came into this with the expectation that children were just playing away and that there was no real academic value and I left feeling empowered to impact my student’s learning through Maker Ed.”
- “I would recommend this workshop to EVERY educator, no matter their interest in maker education. The concepts and language you introduce are so accessible that I think anyone could integrate at least some part of your framework into their curriculum. Also, your facilitation is friendly and open.”
In addition to the above opportunities, don’t forget to check out our online Resource Library, previous national programs, and the annual Maker Educator Convening.