In this online course you will learn how to train young learners to develop a creative and innovative way of thinking to solve social problems. You will benefit from practical and effective methods developed from European innovation, maker pedagogy and creativity experts from experienced FabLabs and universities. They all worked together developing the DOIT-learning programme, workshop designs and innovation tools for young learners in the European project DOIT.
“Making Young Social Innovators”: New ways of training young learners in creativity, social innovation and entrepreneurial mindset in makerspaces
- How can young learners work together and find creative solutions to societal problems?
- How can YOU facilitate an engaging, meaningful and practice-oriented creativity workshop in a makerspace?
- How can YOU encourage a socially entrepreneurial and innovative way of thinking among your students?
After completion of the MOOC you will:
- Have acquired basic skills in training students to observe societal problems around their neighborhood and to develop creative ideas;
- Have learned how to sketch ideas and make prototypes in a makerspace;
- Be inspired by practical workshop designs and be able to develop a concept draft for your own workshops building upon the DOIT programme and using the DOIT online toolbox;
- Sketch your own social innovation projects by using the social innovation project canvas.
Note: the course is available in self-study modus until 30 September 2021
Course content
Week 1, 15th of May, 2020:
Introduction: How can young learners work together and make creative solutions for societal issues?
You will listen to the seven steps in the DOIT learning programme for social innovation in makerspace settings as an approach to early entrepreneurial education. All participants will become familiar with the MOOC platform and are invited to introduce one-self in the forum.
Week 2, 22nd of May 2020:
Workshop Design & Projects: How to design social innovation workshops and projects?
You will learn from workshop examples, in which students between 6 to 16 years olds, the developed prototypes and presented them to school-forum, parents, representatives of local companies or policy and neighbourhood. The examples are derived from settings in schools and outside schools, for 6 to 10 years and 11 to 16 years from Austria, Denmark, Spain, Netherlands, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany and Belgium.
Week 3, 29th of May 2020:
The Innovation Toolbox: What innovation methods and tools can I use with young learners?
We introduce you to the DOIT Innovation Toolbox. You will listen to how specific innovation methods and tools can practically help to facilitate a kids social innovation project, from the “Social detective” to “Cardboard prototyping and using digital maker tools”. This unit includes also recommendations for using makerspaces and digital tools with girls or students with special needs.
Week 4, 5th of June 2020:
Plan & Collaborate: How to plan your own innovation project and collaborate with local makerspaces?
In this week you will listen to the benefits and principles of maker education for social innovation projects within school settings or afternoon schooling. With the help of the DOIT project design canvas and the DOIT innovation toolbox, participants will design first concepts for their own projects and the strategy for integration in school and outside-school settings. Experts will coach you hereby.
Entry after 15th of May 2020 is possible without any problems, as the units will not be closed. A discussion in the forum is also possible beyond June 12th, 2020, but it is expected that the exchange of participants in the forum will be strongest during the official dates.
