According to research, project-based learning can enhance college students’ retention and engagement. Moreover, project-based studying is well-suited to help 21st century skills, including critical thinking and self direction. “One of the necessary 21st-century abilities is studying to figure things out independently,” Bacon emphasised. The Genius Bar at Ossining Center Faculty aligned with college students’ pursuits whereas equipping them with relevant skills to navigate and adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape.
Encouraging company and unbiased studying
The educational didn’t cease at laptop batteries, in keeping with Bacon. Studying the best way to restore one thing they use day by day with their very own palms piqued college students’ curiosity. Bacon and community specialists introduced just a few damaged Chromebooks to one of many lunchtime coaching periods and took them aside. “[The network specialist] truly confirmed each piece, each wire, what it’s, what it does and the best way to unclip it,” Bacon stated. The youngsters had been in a position to take all of those damaged gadgets and harvest the totally different components and use them to restore different gadgets.
The Genius Bar’s success developed from a casual lunchtime group to an after-school membership the place college students may be taught extra about and repair Chromebooks. College students acknowledged the best way to make {hardware} repairs for his or her friends. College students had been studying to be unbiased, Bacon stated. “Somewhat than it going upstairs to have someone do it, they’ll do it proper there within the library,” Bacon added.
Final 12 months, Bacon obtained a grant to get a 3D printer and Genius Bar college students stated that they’d meet after college to place it collectively. “I used to be like ‘They’re 11 and 12 [years old] and that is like $2000 value of stuff,”’ stated Bacon. “However the actuality is that folks will rise to the bar that’s given to them.” With assist from one of many know-how instructors, the scholars put collectively their 3D printer. Since then, they’ve additionally assembled microphones for podcasting and a mixing board.
Partaking all college students, not simply the excessive reaching ones
College students, no matter educational standing, discovered worth within the Genius Bar program, together with these needing extra studying help and English language learners. Bacon attributes this to the truth that know-how doesn’t solely influence excessive reaching college students. “We’ve all been utilizing know-how,” she stated.Some college students discovered to log into Chromebooks for the primary time, whereas others eagerly disassembled computer systems. “[Hardware repair] just isn’t a ability that we essentially train in class day by day,” Bacon identified. “Sadly, children have these great abilities that don’t always align academically with the issues we’re doing. So this house actually lets children shine in fixing and understanding and simply seeing how issues are put collectively.” Because of this, some students now aspire to tech-related careers, whereas others merely recognize the sensible data.
21st century abilities and highschool
The Genius Bar’s influence was so important that college students advocated for the same program at the highschool stage. They proposed an elective to the highschool principal, who agreed to supply an accredited course. Bacon helped the scholars current their proposal to the Board of Schooling, resulting in the launch of the Ossining Excessive Faculty Genius Bar class for the 2023-24 college 12 months.
“We wish them to have the ability to run the assistance desk — a scholar assist desk,” stated Oumar Sarr, who teaches the highschool Genius Bar class. “We’re additionally working in partnership with the tech division to get the scholars to be taught the fundamentals of troubleshooting computer systems, fixing some little issues that college students and a few academics even have with their know-how gadgets.” The category additionally features a Google Stage 1 certification that teaches college students proficiency in Google Classroom instruments like Gmail, Drive, and Calendar.
Sarr’s purpose is to encourage college students to think creatively about technology, not simply as customers however as essential thinkers who can form it. “We began speaking about AI technology and the impact it can have on students and our communities,” Sarr defined. “They’re discovering that know-how, like every little thing else, must be channeled. It must be put right into a route that can assist, as a result of if not, know-how could be harmful.”
