Discovering the “Art of Tinkering”

October 12, 2022October 12, 2022 Alison Earnhart 0 Comments

All photos courtesy of Tinkering Studio © Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu

In late September, our Tech and Play partners at the Tinkering Studio in the San Francisco Exploratorium held their first in-person “Art of Tinkering Workshop” since the pandemic. Tufts CEEO project administrator for Tech and Play, Alison Earnhart, was there to experience the joy and wonder of tinkering firsthand, along with 22 other participants from around the world – including guests from the LEGO Foundation, the Brazil Creative Learning Network, Caltech’s LIGO observatory, and the Science Centre of Singapore.

During the three day workshop, participants engaged in a variety of tinkering activities including making a massive Rube Goldberg-esque chain reaction event, experimenting with electrical circuits, playing with light, building marble machines, and dissecting automated stuffed animals to discover the components and mechanisms within. Along the way, attendees reflected on the academic, social, and cognitive aspects of tinkering and playful making both in formal and informal settings.

Alison Earnhart presents her group’s marble machine to other workshop participants.
© Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu

Alison expressed special excitement about the importance of getting to participate as a student instead of a facilitator. “I’ve been teaching project-based engineering for over a decade, but it’s been such a long time since I’ve actually gotten to sit down and DO projects like this. I had forgotten what it was like to be in the role of the student – the anxiety and uncertainty that can arise at the beginning of a challenge, the thrill of figuring out how to do crazy stuff in new ways, and the deep sense of pride in accomplishing something great with your peers.”

“I needed something like this right now, because these experiences are going to influence how I design and present hands-on, playful projects to my students from here on out.”

As the pandemic recedes, the Tinkering Studio anticipates hosting more of these workshops on site and in-person for educators and facilitators from all backgrounds and specialties. Tufts CEEO acknowledges and appreciates the work the Tinkering Studio team has been doing to contribute to playful, hands-on learning through technology both in the Tech and Play initiative and elsewhere.