Tinkering
A new
ExNet exhibit opening at the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center
June 2008
Many great inventors like Thomas
Edison, Stephen Jobs and Art Fry, the inventor of the post-it note,
as well as educators like John Dewey have noted the great value
of open-ended exploration. Tinkering, focused activity with the right materials
in the right environment, can lead to great new inventions, but
more importantly it builds self confidence and critical thinking
skills in technology. It teaches students and families that
they too can create new inventions, that they can dream new things,
then actually build them and can ask questions and answer
them through focused exploration.
Tinkering will be a collection of exhibits that best support open-ended
exploration surrounding a Tinkering Studio where students and families
will engage in extended building, tinkering or other creative activity. The Studio will support multiple modes
of operation; often visitors will be able to take their own creations
with them to extend the activities in the classroom or in the kitchen
at home. Also local inventors, scientists, artists
and tinkerer’s of all ages will be invited to come show their
work and share their passion for creating new ideas and new inventions.
Components of the Tinkering Studio:
- A
place that fosters creative exploration.
- Gives
visitors experiences with many concepts.
- Helps
them map these concepts into terms
- It’s
a defined space which helps foster a different behavior from
the rest of the museum.
- Shared
materials are in the center of the space for all to access
- Individual
work areas allow visitors to work on their own or together as
they wish.
- Photographs
of the activities both inside and out
- Photos
give visitors clues and guidance as to what to do with the
material.
- Photos
allow visitors to leave something behind, to shape the experience
for others.
- Seating
for waiting, and watching.
- Music
- Changeability:
The host museum will have an array of tinkering activities that
they can pull out at any time. The
space will be designed to allow the museum staff to develop and
explore new activities.
Design
The Tinkering exhibition will have more of a
designed theme (look & feel) than the other ExNet sets. The
Tinkering Studio will be a major component of that design. In addition there may be an iconic centerpiece
exhibit. Graphics,
titles and quotes will be used as advanced organizers for visitors. They will also offer inspiration, context,
connections and tinkering challenges.
Facilitation
Facilitation is an important component of the
Tinkering Studio. It
will be necessary for many of the activities such as the marble
ramps that we explored during the partner meeting. However
the space will be designed so that other materials can be brought
out that do not require facilitation. Museum
staff may want to make periodic visits to initiate activities
or to straighten up the materials. The
Studio will also have a school group mode with non-facilitated
activities appropriate for school groups.
Tinkering Exhibits:
- Circuit Workbench
- Heat Camera
- Hole Saw Rhythms
- Light Island
- PinBell Machine
- Air Table
- Make Your Pulley System
- Marble Track
- Lego Car Ramp
- Lego Zoetrope
- Kapla Blocks
- Stomp Rockets
Other possible exhibits:
- Parting Water
- Pendulum Table
- Streamlines
- Thermal Impressions
- Turntable
- Visible Vibrations
- Balancing Ball Table
- Drawing Table
- Flow Table
- Four Track Recorder
- Hit Me
- Paper Airplane Launcher
- Sailboats
- Shake Table
- Spinning Patterns
- Unstable Table
- Pinscreen Wall
- Shadow Box
- Soap Bubbles Tray
- Radar Magnet Table
- Spinning Things Table
- Language blocks
- Paper bridge challenge
Themes:
Tinkering will be the process theme throughout the exhibition. However, there may also be science content themes or groupings
of activities:
- Fluids
– Air, Water
- Building
- Sound/Music
- Art
- Electricity/electronics
- Light
- Motion
Learning extensions:
There will be take home materials
that will support extended learning in the classroom and at home
in the kitchen. These may be receipts for further tinkering,
resources and sources of where to buy materials. There will also be curriculum connections
for teachers both in the exhibit and on the web site.
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