The CEEO has been supporting makerspaces in our own backyard and across the globe. For the past two years, the CEEO has been collaborating with the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) to support Sampoerna University’s School of Education in creating makerspaces and fostering maker culture in Indonesia. Sampoerna University, located in Jakarta, has a strong mission of social responsibility and giving back to the community. Together, we have been working closely with four high schools in Jakarta, Batu, and Malang to develop a model of STEM education.

The CEEO and NYSCI have worked together to help Sampoerna University develop their maker space, programming, and teacher training. Sampoerna University’s maker space, called the SMART Lab, has been focusing on teacher training for pre-service and in-service teachers.

We supported these training efforts in January by conducting a weeklong teacher training on circuits and LEGO robotics with about 25 teachers from the partner high schools. David Wells and Reid Bingham from NYSCI’s Makerspace collaborated with myself to run the training. The training activities included an introductory activity to make a chair that could support a facilitator using only cardboard and tape. Bonus points if it could fit more than one person.

Teachers were also trained on a circuits and LEGO robotics curriculum. The circuits curriculum included activities such as Buzz Bots, Soldering and Makey-Makey. The LEGO curriculum included making drawing robots, musical instruments and a puppet show. Linked is an outline of the circuits and LEGO robotics curriculum.

The end of the training culminated in a Maker Party to celebrate all the work the teachers have done throughout the training. It also served as a model for maker celebrations that the partner high schools would host at their schools. Images of the Maker Party are below.

The types of hands-on open-ended activities that were presented in the training were very different than the method of teaching in a typical Indonesian classroom. The typical Indonesian high school classroom is similar to classrooms in the US where students sit at desks while teachers lecture. Although the training activities were very different, the teachers seemed excited to try them in their classrooms. The teachers seemed to value making as a way to change the mindset of students about STEM. Many Indonesian students believe that science and math courses are boring and very difficult. The teachers believe that making offers an avenue for students to be creative and engaged. They hope this will inspire students to pursue STEM fields.

Since January, the teachers have been implementing the curriculum and hosting their own maker celebrations. Below are pictures of a maker celebration at a high school in Batu.