Article by Kate James, Head of Product Experience
Colegio Nueva Granada (CNG) in Bogotá, Colombia is an inspiring school full of passionate educators, and there is a palpable sense of taking on challenging projects with rigor and thoughtfulness. There were many to choose from, but two highlights were:
- While I was visiting, the 4th grade students were finishing their Erosion Expedition studio, in which they researched existing erosion mitigation systems, took a field trip to see erosion processes up close, and built system models to test their ideas. Ultimately, we were able to take the ideas of whole classrooms of students, synthesize them into one design, and assign various roles to achieve full-scale builds. This is the most engaged I've seen130 students all working together on one hands-on project, and there were cheers and high-fives as we tested their installations by pouring buckets of water down the hillside. When we were cleaning up, a student told me "I will remember this project for the whole rest of my life." A remarkable testament to this kind of work!
- In both the PS/ES and MS/HS PD sessions, teachers were able to hear about NuVuX and the studio process, then experience a design sprint that brought them rapidly through brainstorming, fabrication, and feedback. Then they were challenged to think about how they might incorporate some of that type of work into their classroom curriculum. The level of engagement was palpable, and one teacher remarked "If I can learn from this while having so much fun, my students would too."
