Brickd - a blog featuring the best in Lego design
Debra Sterling’s Mission to Inspire the Next Generation of Female Engineers
I was one of only a handful of women in my engineering program at Stanford. It wasn’t easy. I often felt like my ideas were ignored, like I didn’t belong. It was a boys club, that program, and my perspective wasn’t part of the equation. As I walked across that stage at graduation, I began to develop an obsession with changing the status quo and tackling the staggering gender gap in engineering. I’d been lucky; between an intuitive math teacher that saw me for the born engineer that I am, and my natural ability to buck the system, I was granted access into a culture that was so male dominated you could cut the Old Spice with a knife. So I invented GoldieBlox, a book series + construction toy starring Goldie, the girl engineer. Next, I flew to the New York Toy Fair to see what the industry had to say. Others escorted me up and down the aisles of glittery princesses and busty dolls to show me what success looks like. It wasn’t easy. I hit my goal in 5 days. My dream?
Going Deep: STEM in the Connected Classroom
“Everybody in this room understands that our nation’s success depends on strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of discovery and innovation. And that leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today—especially in science, technology, engineering, and math.” – President Obama to a gathering of CEOs, scientists, teachers, and others. September 16, 2010 My timing is impeccable! I took the job as STEM education facilitator for six counties in my state just when this STEM thing is getting lots of attention. I’d have to confess though that this attention also worries me. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s the same approach and attitude that led to technology getting a shady reputation in education. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is not a separate subject, and you don’t “do” STEM just by doing any one of its pieces. STEM demands that we teach lessons and pursue projects that connect all the subjects represented in its acronym.
Harvard Wants to Know: How Does the Act of Making Shape Kids’ Brains?
Big Ideas Culture Design Thinking Teaching Strategies A group of Harvard researchers is teaming up with schools in Oakland, Calif. to explore how kids learn through making. Through an initiative called Project Zero, they’re investigating the theory that kids learn best when they’re actively engaged in designing and creating projects to explore concepts. Though it’s still in very early stages — just launched at the beginning of this school year — researchers and educators at the school want to know how kids learn by tinkering – fooling around with something until one understands how it works. To do that, they are working with both private and public schools in Oakland, headed by the Harvard researchers and 15 participating teachers who meet in study groups every six weeks to share ideas and to form a community. “It’s not a lesson plan; it’s not a curriculum; it’s a way to look at the world.” Project Zero is also asking teachers to look at student work differently. Related
Shoe Design Offers a Trojan Horse for Problem Solving with Design Thinking
"Design your own shoe." That's what high school students thought they were signing up to do when they volunteered for an immersive experience in design thinking. Truth be told, the course description was not quite accurate. As a strategy for problem solving, design thinking is quickly gaining a foothold in a variety of K-12 settings. Watching this class unfold in Portland, I was reminded that design thinking also offers a perfect vehicle for connecting students with their community. Understanding User Needs One of the first assignments students tackled: Hit the streets, food carts, and shopping malls of Portland to interview complete strangers about their shoes. One all-boy team, for instance, was surprised to learn from a middle-aged woman that she carries an extra pair of shoes to work each day. Another team was inspired by talking with an eco-conscious consumer who bikes to his office job. Expert Insights The shoe guru peppered his talk with advice and anecdotes. Lasting Lessons
How a Bicycle Is Made
by Maria Popova All you ever wondered about how handlebars are bent, why mudguards exist, and where lubricant comes from. The bicycle is indisputably one of humanity’s greatest inventions — a feat of design and engineering, a royal mode of transportation, a global canvas for art, a metaphor for computers, a vehicle for both subjugating and emancipating women. But how, exactly, does a bicycle come to life? This wonderful 1945 short film from the British Council traces the process of how a Raleigh bicycle is made, from raw material to the intricacies of craftsmanship. Careful designing, reliable materials, and expert craftsmanship in every stage of manufacture turn out a British bicycle second to none. ↬ Doobybrain Donating = Loving Bringing you (ad-free) Brain Pickings takes hundreds of hours each month. You can also become a one-time patron with a single donation in any amount: Brain Pickings has a free weekly newsletter. Share on Tumblr
