Project Profile

The Innovation Institute: From Problem to Product (I2) takes high school students through the entire process of inventing a device, software or other technology. This proposal makes use of a Makerspace at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), which is located in a community with a high proportion of both immigrant and low-income residents. I2 builds on NYSCI experience with the Maker movement and leverages its Explainer program (where high school students who work as exhibit or program facilitators) by providing: 1) a product prototype/design program for high school Explainers and 2) afterschool and Saturday activities for middle school students, with mentoring provided by the Explainers. It will serve a total of 60 high school students (20 in each cohort) and 1000 elementary and middle school students. The project will disseminate a replication handbook for scaling up the model and project evaluation reports. Project results will be further disseminated through articles submitted to peer-reviewed academic journals, workshops presented at museum conferences, and articles in other publications such as Make Magazine, a publication that targets those in the Maker movement.