Inclusive tinkering through collaboration and co-design
Commitment: Equity & inclusion
This session will explore contemporary issues in inclusive STEM learning practice, with a focus on how hands-on making and tinkering can provide opportunities to work in more equitable ways to support diverse and underserved learners. Over the last ten years, Tinkering EU has been developing a community of practitioners exploring Tinkering practice across the formal and informal learning sectors. In this shared space, museum educators, makerspace practitioners, teachers, adult learning professionals, community group leaders and researchers will come together to discuss, observe, reflect on and evaluate tinkering in relation to its role for widening audience participation and supporting underserved communities. Our speakers will share the learning from a decade of work, focussing on the benefits of collaborative working, reflective practice, and co-design for increasing the reach, relevance and impact of programming. We will also invite audience questions around the main themes.
Facilitator
Senior Lecturer in Education
Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
Session speakers
Educational programs - Management - Coordination
Maria is in charge of the educational programs in the Thessaloniki Science Centre and Technology Museum (Noesis). She has a vast experience in EU funded programs both as a team member and project manager. Maria brings her experience of working on Tinkering EU 2 and will talk about the experiences of science educators and teachers from across Europe who came together to share ideas on creating more equitable and inclusive ways of using Tinkering to engage young, disadvantaged learners.
Senior project manager Education
Inka is senior education project manager at NEMO Science Museum, Netherlands. She has worked in museum education since 2001 developing and facilitating programmes for students and families and professional development for museum educators and teachers. Inka will be sharing learning and insights from science educators and community group leaders who have used co-design as a process to learn with and from each other with the aim of creating more equitable programming for underserved communities.
Director of Education and of the Centre of Research in Informal Learning
Maria is Director of Education at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, Italy. She has worked in museum education, learning research and professional development in art and science museums and held academic positions in the UK and Italy. Over 10 years, Maria has brought together, championed and inspired a European community of practice that is continuing to explore, develop and innovate Tinkering pedagogy for diverse audiences in museums, science centre and schools.
