Light up kicks: Inspiring the next generation of young inventors with invention education
In this Q&A, Education Innovation Grant recipients Cristina Sáenz and Liza Montner Goldstein share the importance of invention education.
By Maria Segala
Through its Education Innovation Grants, the Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) at MIT Open Learning aspires to develop the building blocks, ideas, and connections that power global transformation in learning. J-WEL grants support educational innovations across a rich variety of fields including: linguistics, mechanical engineering, literature, architecture, physics, management, political science, and more. More than $5 million in funding has been awarded to MIT researchers since 2017.
As part of an ongoing series, we are taking a closer look at each 2023 grantee’s projects. In the spotlight today is Liza Montner Goldstein, invention education pathway administrator at the Lemelson-MIT Program (LMIT), working closely with Cristina Sáenz, invention education manager at LMIT. The LMIT works to prepare the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs, focusing on the expansion of opportunities for young people to find and solve problems that matter. The research team is also supported by Michael Cima, David H. Koch Professor of Engineering, professor of materials science and engineering, and LMIT faculty director.
Their project, “Light up kicks: engaging youth in shoe design using culturally sustainable pedagogy,” introduces elementary students ages 9 to 11 to invention education and electronic circuits by having them build a light-up shoe prototype. According to Goldstein, the Light Up Kicks curriculum addresses waning interest in STEM among young learners by encouraging them to draw inspiration from their own cultural and linguistic backgrounds for their prototype. Lessons empower students to develop their designs through an exploration of nature, indigenous or culturally-specific textile designs, and shoe-related inventors from different cultural backgrounds. This curriculum aims to boost diversity in the innovation ecosystem and celebrate the diverse knowledge that students bring to invention.
What excites you most about your project?
What excites me most about our new Light Up Kicks curriculum is that students explore their own cultural and ethnic backgrounds to inspire their designs for a light-up shoe prototype. Students will see connections between invention and their own lived experiences, hopefully increasing their engagement in STEM opportunities.
In what ways do you anticipate your project will impact its intended audience or community?
I imagine that students will be enthusiastic about getting to build their own shoe while learning about footwear from around the world. Students with all different skill sets and interests — including art, science, reading and writing — will realize that inventing isn’t just STEM. Anyone can be an inventor and utilize their strengths to solve problems. Educators, especially those who might typically be intimidated by unfamiliar content, will gain confidence through the easy-to-implement approach of the Light Up Kicks guide.
What do you hope is the biggest takeaway from your project?
My biggest hope for the Light Up Kicks project is that upper elementary educators recognize that invention education is the future of the classroom. [With this curriculum] students get to solve real-world problems that apply directly to their lives and tap into multiple subject areas/standards along the way. Transdisciplinary education, as demonstrated by Light Up Kicks, can be easily achieved in the classroom.
What role does collaboration play in the development and implementation of your project?
While I wrote the majority of the content of Light Up Kicks, I included five case studies showcasing footwear from around the world. These case studies derived from interviews with paid contractors who provided insights on shoes, textiles, and personal stories/photos from their respective countries. We worked with an outside production company, CSA, to design the PDF guide (educator and student versions) and implemented the program at two informal test sites (elementary classrooms) this past spring. We will be conducting a formal qualitative assessment of Light Up Kicks with a school this fall.
Originally published at jwel.mit.edu. Interested in learning more about grants from the Jameel World Education Lab at MIT Open Learning? Visit the lab’s grants website.
