Making Inspired by Nature: Engaging Preservice Elementary Teachers and Children in Maker-centered Learning and Biomimicry
Abstract: This exploratory project, Making Inspired by Nature, brings together the art of making and the creative practices of biomimicry to engage preservice teachers and children in building innovative solutions to real-world problems. To achieve this, this project is (a) building and evaluating digital resources and hands-on activities for engaging elementary children in innovation through the application of biomimicry and design thinking in a maker context and (b) evaluating models for deepening preservice teachers’ pedagogical knowledge for supporting student learning in maker-centered classrooms. Introduction This exploratory project, Making Inspired by Nature, brings together the act of “making” with the innovative practices of biomimicry to engage preservice