# Week 1

# Student-Centered Learning Approaches. Electronics.

Challenges and opportunities on Digital Fabrication With kids in participants' context.
Brainstorming for Field Activitity.

Design a simple electronic circuit using a simulator: put in a battery, an LED, and a sensor or switch. Use TinkerCAD (or other). Take a screenshot of your circuit for your Learning Diary.
Build simple circuits using battery, LED and different conductors: copper film, pencil... Post a photo on your Learning Diary.
(Optional) Use a Makey Makey board (or similar) to interact with a computer game/program. Explain in your learning diary briefly what you have done. Not recommended use yet microncontrollers board such as Arduino, Microbit or similar, unless you have already experience.
Answer the following reflection questions:
- Imagine an educational activity using simple electronics components (preferably without microcontrollers) that is suitable for the age group that you are teaching. Describe it (provide goals of activity and methodologies). Consider also the role of the kids: would you classify it as Digital Fabrication for kids or with kids? Why? It is preferable that you integrate any of the circuits you have created in step 1 or 2.
- What are the challenges of using electronics in your space? How can this support your students in learning classroom content?
- What has been your experience using Project Based Learning / Problem based learning in the past? What were the main challenges?

Have a look to one of the presentations in the Basic Electronics section below.
Explore basics of electronics. How to use an electronics simulator?
Explore basics of electronics. Presentation on basic electronic components and how they can be connected(at least battery, LEDs). If possible you can include other components such as a buttons, buzzer and motors.
If your Fab Lab has availability you can try creating circuits with different conductors: cables, copper film, playdoh pencil...
If your Fab Lab has availability you can try different boards such as Makey Makey (opens new window) or some of the electronics components kits such as Little bits (opens new window) or similar set.

TBD

Presentation (opens new window): How to consider 21st century skills as part of the learning outcomes.

You should have a look at least to one of these presentations

Tinkercad (opens new window) You can simulate multiple circuits including microcontrollers.
Phet interactive simulator (opens new window) Very visual simulator to try different simple components such as light, fuses or resistors. Do not include microcontrollers
Learning circuits (opens new window) Simple simulator specially designe for kids. Very limited options, but easy to use.
Every circuit (opens new window) Simulator to present a little bit more advance electronic concepts including capacitance and AC. It has a free and paid option.
DCAClab (opens new window) Software targeted to schools. The free version has very restricted functionality. Last option to check.