The “maker movement” is becoming a trend in all areas of mainstream development. “Makers” are individuals who create smart gadgets, robotics, devices, and more to use in their own workspace.

Teachers are “makers” too, according to an article on EDN.com. The article said that education systems around the world “need to shift focus from one-way lectures and rote memorization to collaborative, creative problem-solving environments.”

“Learning by doing, iterating on ideas, and collaborating with peers are the hallmarks of the maker movement,” writer Ray Hsu said. “This philosophy is exactly what we need to improve our education system. In fact, many parents have engaged in the maker movement with their kids because they know that the education system is not adequately preparing their children for the 21st century.”

According to Hsu, education is “ripe for transformation.”

“PCs, the Internet, and mobile devices have changed every aspect of our lives except education,” he wrote. “Technology adoption by schools has not changed the lectures and multiple-choice tests that make up the fundamental way we teach and assess our students; however, we have begun to see the first signs of a global trend in education.”

According to Hsu, “MIT recently began accepting maker portfolios in its admissions process, UC Berkeley created a makerspace for students to collaborate, and nonprofit organizations such as the Maker Education Initiative provide blueprints for grade schools looking to implement maker-like learning environments.”

“And this is just in the formal education system,” he wrote. “Online education portals such as Coursera and edX offer free classes so anyone with Internet access can learn and build projects at home. Perhaps a cultural shift to the maker movement values will finally fuel a significant transformation of our education system.”

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Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor