Fancy fooling around with a hammer?

P.R.: Winchester College Mill

Design and Technology guru Simon Tarrant told me a fascinating story. He had students work on experimental design. Do it on your own, use any tools, any available materials. Do not over-think it. Use a prep session to reflect on application of what you were doing. Tell the rest of the class what you have done afterwards.  

A student gets a bamboo stick. Boys like sticks, and he comes into class with it. Eventually he decides to paint it black: a black bamboo stick is definitely more impressive. Next class – as there is little you can do with the stick further – he starts playing with styrofoam. (I am not sure it was the trademark variety.) Perhaps he finds it less exciting than the stick, so he switches to arduino chips next time. He does some work with them, learns to set up a few basic things. Then time to present their small project to others comes. The boy stands up and says: I have a simple tool for detecting floods. Take a bamboo stick, styrofoam, and an arduino...

There are two aspects I find notable in this story. The channelling of enthusiasm (yes, stick!) was an important factor. The other was the need to do reflection.