Boys as Makers, APR '15

IBSC Conference: Boys as Makers

Wednesday April 8 to Friday, April 10, 2015
University School, Cleveland, Ohio, USA


Conference Schedule

The conference begins at 4pm on Wednesday April 8th and will conclude at 11:15 am on Friday April 10th. For the complete schedule, click here.

Summary and References for David Grant's Keynote Address, A “Maker” School? Our Story

The Maker Movement gives learners the opportunity to follow their creative impulses and thereby deepen their understanding through hands-on tinkering, creating, and building. In calling for applications, the current IBSC action research project on 'boys as makers' underscored the point especially well: “In the process of seeking answers, makers are encouraged to develop and engage the skills required of effective 21st century learners: curiosity, intellectual courage, imagination, exploration commitment, critical thinking, problem solving, adaptability, resilience and collaboration." (IBSC Action Research)

With a tradition of hands-on learning going back to 1890 and building on the rising tide of interest in experiential learning in boys' schools, University School will host an exciting conference this spring, “Boys as Makers."

The conference will focus on two essential questions:

  1. How do we design effective curriculum that fosters a maker mindset and that is especially compelling in the context of a boys' school?
  2. What mindset and skill set do we want to develop in our boys so they are ready to jump into the changing landscape of creative industry and entrepreneurship?

In addition to faculty presentations on design thinking, classroom practice, curriculum development, and assessment of maker projects, we have lined up several keynote speakers: Richard Sear from Frost and Sullivan, will focus on visionary innovation and Mark Simon of Centerbrook Architects will present an architect's approach to designing creative maker spaces.

We will highlight our new state-of-the-art Manual Arts and Design Center at our Upper School and also examine how creative elements of our Lower School theme-based curriculum and a number of our experiential Middle School projects lay the foundations for creativity and problem solving in high school.

We will also highlight the new energy that is driving Cleveland to become a hub of creative entrepreneurship with onsite visits to The Cleveland Clinic's Innovation Center and a creative production factory, where teams of engineers test new ideas and produce patents ranging from high-tech armor plating for the military to natural gas converter kits for internal combustion engines – a veritable adult makers' playground.

Participants will walk away inspired to dream of possibilities and equipped with practical ideas to create and implement curriculum.

Registration Information

There is an IBSC Member early-bird rate of $350, a discount of $100 if registration is made by March 20th. After March 20th, the registration rate for IBSC members is $450. The non-member rate is $650. Registration is now live and may completed online here.

Accommodations

We have secured an excellent rate of $159/room per night at the Cleveland Marriott East. Complete details are available on the Boys as Makers Hotel page .