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Tinkering Fundamentals: Motion and Mechanisms

Approx. 6 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course is designed to help learners understand the basic principles of motion and mechanisms through tinkering with everyday objects. Students will gain hands-on experience in building simple machines and learn how to apply these concepts to real-world problems.

Key Learning Points

Learn how to apply basic principles of motion and mechanisms to real-world problems
Gain hands-on experience in building simple machines
Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills through tinkering

Learning Outcomes

Apply basic principles of motion and mechanisms to real-world problems
Build and troubleshoot simple machines
Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior experience required
Access to basic tools and materials

Course Difficulty Level

Beginner

Course Format

Self-paced
Hands-on
Interactive

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Adam Savage
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Description

The Tinkering Fundamentals course will offer educators and enthusiasts an opportunity to develop a practice of tinkering and making. We see tinkering as a serious endeavor—one that is generalizable across content and especially good at interweaving disciplines in a way that leads to complex projects and individualized learning opportunities. Tinkering has recently been introduced into the educational field as a potential driver of creativity, excitement, and innovation in science learning. It is seen by many as an effective means to engage in exploring STEM concepts, practices and phenomena. Tinkering typically blends the high and low tech tools of science along with a strong aesthetic dimension that supports children’s (and adults’) self expression.

NB: This is a hands-on course, so you will need several tools and materials to do weekly activities. You are welcome to purchase only what you don't already have—or even better try to scrounge them from surplus stores! We have put together a list of recommended materials, which you can find here: http://bit.ly/motion-materials For over a decade, the Exploratorium has been developing science-rich tinkering activities for both children and adults. We see tinkering as a fun yet serious endeavor—spanning many disciplines and content areas and fostering connections between art, science, and technology. Learners follow their own path to understanding by investigating tools and materials and exploring questions that interest them. This opens up a wide range of possible answers rather than any specific “right” one, particularly for teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subjects in the classroom. This course centers on activities related to Motion and Mechanisms, which offer a wealth of opportunities for thinking through making. In this course, we won’t just show you how we develop tinkering activities; we’ll also delve into why. We’ll focus on three important aspects: activity design around specific materials, facilitation strategies, and environmental organization. We’ll also share some guiding principles and learning indicators we’ve developed that can help you integrate tinkering into your elementary and middle-school science program. Whether you’re new to making or a seasoned tinkerer, we hope this course will help you take the next step! OUR APPROACH TO TEACHING This is a hands-on workshop, not a lecture-based class. Participation is essential! We want everyone to be making and tinkering together: trying things out, asking questions, sharing ideas, and reflecting together as a community. This is a wonderful chance to tinker and learn alongside people from all over the world and from all walks of life, so don’t be shy! PLEASE NOTE: We have put a great deal of effort towards creating a supportive space that encourages exploration. We’ll give you a few ways to get started; prompt you to share your own observations and experience as learners, designers, and facilitators; and hopefully spark interesting conversations and discoveries along the way. While it’s not a requirement, we encourage you to take this class with a friend or colleague, or meet with other people in your area: having support or doing activities with others will enhance your experience and help you stay engaged. This project was funded by generous support from Overdeck Family Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

Outline

Introduction to Tinkering
Motion and Mechanisms: Welcome to the course
Course Overview
Motion and Mechanisms Activities
Week Overview
Your turn
Course Overview
Course format
Credit Requirements

Marble Machines
Marble Machines
Designing for Tinkerability: Marble Machines
Inspiration: Bernie Zubrowski
Making Marble Machines
Pedagogical Perspective: Eleanor Duckworth
Week Overview: Iteration with Marble Machines
Your Turn

CARDBOARD AUTOMATA
Cardboard Automata
Designing for Tinkerability: Cardboard Automata
Inspiration: Carlos Zapata
Making Cardboard Automata
Pedagogical Perspective: Hubert Dyasi
Cardboard Automata Mechanism 1
Cardboard Automata Mechanism 2
Cardboard Automata Mechanism 3
Cardboard Automata Mechanism 4
Cardboard Automata Mechanism 5
Revealed: Mechanism 1
Reveal: Mechanism 2
Reveal: Mechanism 3
Reveal: Mechanism 4
Reveal: Mechanism 5
Week Overview: Creative Expression with Cardboard Automata
Your Turn

Chain Reaction
Chain Reaction
Designing for Tinkerability: Chain Reactions
Inspiration: Arthur Ganson
Making Chain Reactions
Pedagogical Perspective: Bernie Zubrowski
Chain Reaction Connections
Arthur Ganson Considers Chain Reactions
Week Overview: Problem Posing with Chain Reaction
Your Turn

Research + Practice
Research + Practice
Teachers Talking About Tinkering
Wrap up
Making & Tinkering: The Intertwined Dimensions of Learning
Making & Tinkering: The Power of Ideas
Week Overview: Research + Practice
Your Turn

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the world of tinkering with motion mechanisms with this engaging course on Coursera. Students rave about the hands-on approach of this course, and its ability to teach complex concepts in an easy-to-understand way.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Hands-on approach to teaching

Pros from User Reviews

Interactive and engaging course material
Easy-to-understand explanations of complex concepts
Great for beginners and those with some experience
Helpful community and resources
Flexible schedule and self-paced learning

Cons from User Reviews

Limited interaction with instructors
Not suitable for advanced learners
Some technical difficulties with course material
Lack of feedback on assignments
Limited job prospects after completion

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