Institution news
IMechE STEM at home activities have been designed in collaboration with educational specialists, the MakerClub. An inclusive approach has been applied to improve the ‘user experience’ and provide the wider membership with online resources that support STEM outreach work around the world. The revised activities contain clear instructions and curriculum links mapped against learning objectives empowering STEM Ambassadors with greater confidence to use the kits in their educational outreach work.
The online STEM at Home activities are broadly non industry specific and cater to a range of ages and abilities, with extension activities for older or more able children.
The five activities include:
Each activity is supported by a downloadable worksheet with detailed step by step guidance and instructional videos. A list of materials needed for each activity is provided in the kit list and are affordable, sustainable and largely reusable.
We caught up with Simon Riley, General Director at MakerClub, to get an insight about his company, vision and experience working with IMechE on this project.
Q: Could you tell us about yourself and your background?
Simon Riley (SR): From a young age, I've always been fascinated by how things work. Having graduated with a Masters in Electronic and Computing Engineering, I spent 15 years in innovation teams for companies large and small, before getting involved in the maker movement. Coming from a family of teachers, I found myself wanting to pass on a lot of what I've learnt so that others can enjoy the opportunities afforded to me.
Q: Could you tell us how the idea of creating MakerClub came to mind?
SR: As with many other children, I struggled at school to sit still and methodically learn things from a book. it wasn't until I started researching different ways of learning that I found constructionism, the theory of learning through making. I have now learned that there are many benefits of this approach, including much higher levels of understanding you work something out yourself, or experience it first-hand. It's also really important to play and explore so that we can encourage the next generation to become lifelong learners.
Q: What you enjoyed most working on this project?
SR: Working with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has been a real treat for me, as it's forced me to focus more on the mechanical side of inventing. Where I would have traditionally used electronics and programming, we have instead opted for levers and elastic bands, forcing me to dust off my old physics books and relearn myself! My favourite project has been the hydraulic seed propagator, as a great example of how hydraulics can be used to power devices.
Q: How you would like to see the project develop in the future?
SR: Having run several challenges and competitions with our members at MakerClub, my experience has been that children can come up with incredible inventions where us grown-ups lack imagination. I'd like to challenge IMechE's army of young inventors to use the skills they have learned through these projects to come up with ideas, big and small, to help solve the greatest issues facing the World at this time.
The physical IMechE STEM toolkit will be released and available to order online once Government restrictions on social interaction are lifted.
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