第五届南山学校创客节在海上世界文化艺术中心举行 超30所学校和机构参加

Yang Mei

yangmei_szdaily@163.com

Living in the city of innovation, young students are keeping up with the changes and eager to contribute their creative ingenuity and pioneering spirit .

Students from over 30 schools and organizations gathered on Saturday afternoon at the fifth School Maker Faire Nanshan to present their innovative projects and ideas as a way to get engaged with the local community. The maker faire was held at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in the Shekou area of Nanshan District.

Hosted by Shenzhen American International School (SAIS) and the Design Society, the maker faire presented a cross-section of the Nanshan Maker education community. This year’s faire attracted a mix of international schools and public schools including SAIS, QSI International School of Shenzhen, International School of Nanshan Shenzhen (ISNS), Green Oasis School, Dongwan Primary School, Shenzhen Honggui Middle School and Shenwai International School (SWIS).

There were also over 10 educational organizations including the Science Club, TimberKids, MG Space, ELECFreaks, MassLab, Steam Head, Korean Cousin and UniMaker present.

The first floor of the Sea World Culture and Arts Center was filled with tables of activities ranging from robotics to wood crafts and from mini-drones to urban farms. Many had an interactive aspect that welcomed visitors to try their hand at playing games while learning new things, often related to science, technology, engineering and math (the fields collectively known as STEM).

This year’s focus was on integrating student innovation into school curriculum. Students shared examples of maker products that are linked to the school’s core academic program.

For example, third and fourth graders from SAIS are studying extreme weather, typhoons in particular. So their table informed people of typhoon preparedness tips and measures that keep people safe before, during and after a typhoon.

“Typhoons happen every year; you have to get prepared. This project is very practical and is an extension to what the students are learning in class,” said Tammy Naik, a third-grade teacher at SAIS. “The maker faire helps students and teachers learn new ideas and improves teachers’ teaching styles.”

Carrie Leung, maker faire producer and co-founder of NGO SteamHead, thinks of the faire as a platform where different groups of people can engage in and interact with each other. “Students and teachers can get together to learn and share. Teachers are able to see what is going on in other schools. Students can learn from their peers in other grades. Parents and families can share and talk,” she said.

As the host of the maker faire, SAIS had every grade level from elementary levels through eighth grade represented with students facilitating activities from their school projects, including making musical instruments from recycled materials, playing board games based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, vegetable print-making and playing food-related games.

The maker faire is committed to promoting innovative education, which has won recognition and support from the Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau, and will contribute its part to the development of Shenzhen’s education sector and the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.