Let the Makers Make: Starting Residencies with Design Challenges

Our in-school residencies and summer camp programs usually begin by sharing information about tools and technology, sharing examples of exemplary work, and providing an overview of expectations to students. Although necessary, these activities are often educator-driven with limited hands-on opportunities for students. This summer, when I lead the Innovation and Invention Camps, the Maker Corps interns and I presented a mini design challenge on the first day, following the tool safety exercises and designed to wait to provide further instruction until the following day. This challenge jump-started the process of using materials in unusual, yet functional ways and provided the freedom to explore that I haven’t offered to students on day one in past programs. Click above to see a glimpse of the design challenges from this summer.

Students worked in teams of three to build a unique teeter-totter in 45 minutes using materials that we supplied. Scorecards were presented at the beginning so students knew how points would be awarded. A group critique followed during which students provided feedback. Later in the week, each group of students modified the design they built during the challenge and incorporated it into their final kinetic sculpture, adjusting the design based on suggestions and necessity.

Here are a few keys to success I’ve learned as a result of implementing design challenges this summer:
- Keep the time limited.
- Emphasize that it is ok if the structure doesn’t ‘work’ by the end of the allotted time.
- Encourage exploration.
- Create a scoring system where points can be earned even if it doesn’t ‘work’ to encourage risk-taking while students are experimenting with and exploring different materials.
- Provide only safety advice. Let the designing and building be 100% student-led.
- Try to develop a challenge where the result can be incorporated into a larger final project.

I’m looking for ways to incorporate this type of design challenge into my in-school residencies this academic year. I want to excite and engage the students in our partner schools immediately and leave them looking forward to subsequent sessions. It may be difficult to find ways to successfully integrate this into the first or second 40–50 minute school session (as opposed to the three-hour library sessions we have in the summer) and to find activities that can be completed in short amounts of time and then incorporated into the final project. Some art forms may lend themselves to this more than others, but I consider this my own teacher design challenge.