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Nurturing Creativity and Innovation Through FabKids: A Case Study

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Abstract

This paper will report on a case study that was conducted involving Grade 10 learners who were exposed to a high-tech rapid-prototyping environment of a Fabrication Laboratory as part of a FabKids experience. This project must be viewed in the context of a global shortage of key skills placing a higher priority on the initiation and development of a pipeline to attract youth into science, engineering and technology careers. Creativity and innovation feature high on the skills agenda but more importantly preliminary results indicate that learners from a broad range of schools were able to operate effectively in this post constructivist environment. Participants had to apply their knowledge, skill, attitudes and values in order to produce a solution to the challenges provided. The fundamentals of the design process of investigate, design, make, evaluate and communicate were emphasized where the FabKids had to draw on their own collective knowledge using a range of technologies available to them.

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Abbreviations

AMTS:

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategies

DST:

Department of Science and Technology

FabLab:

Fabrication Laboratory

FESTOC:

Federation of Science, Technology and Engineering Olympiads and Competitions

FET:

Further Education and Training (Grades 10-12)

GET:

General Education and Training (Grades 0–9)

LED:

Light Emitting Diode

MIT:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

N-Gen:

Net Generation

NCS:

National Curriculum Statements

NSI:

National system of innovation

RNCS:

Revised National Curriculum Statements

OBE:

Outcomes Based Education

RFID:

Radio-frequency identification

YESA:

Young Engineers and Scientists of Africa

YiSS:

Youth into Science Strategy

ZPD:

Zone of Proximal Development

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Correspondence to Ronald Noel Beyers.

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Beyers, R.N. Nurturing Creativity and Innovation Through FabKids: A Case Study. J Sci Educ Technol 19, 447–455 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-010-9212-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-010-9212-0

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