What's the idea behind it?
Makeathons are rooted in contemporary educational philosophy, and put into practice some of the main ideas of the world’s leading theorists.
Constructivism is an educational philosophy that emphasises the importance of active, hands-on learning and the idea that knowledge is constructed by the learner rather than simply transmitted from the teacher. In a makeathon, kids and teens are encouraged to engage in hands-on, experiential learning and to create their own knowledge through the process of making.
"It was concluded at the end of the research that a constructivist learning approach has a positive effect on learners’ academic success, retention and attitude scores." (Semerci & Batdı, 2015)
"This paper contrasts contemporary traditional and constructivist educational models to show that constructivist models have invaluable advantages over and are more effective than more traditional models." (Pagán, 2006)
"It can be deduced from the findings that the constructivist teaching-learning process improved the learning outcomes of the students." (Reyes, 2013)
The Wikipedia entry on Constructivism has some further details and links, if this is of interest.
In addition to the educational philosophy of Constructivism, there are some other, more simple ideas that have been central to the creation of the Makeathon as an educational methodology. These elements are fundamental in the MTF Makeathon approach.
Play: This is such an important aspect of human development and learning, and yet it is often undervalued in traditional education settings. Makeathons can provide a fun, playful environment that allows young people to explore their creativity and imagination and to take risks without fear of failure.
Collaboration: Makeathons often involve collaborative learning, where kids and teens work in teams to tackle a problem or create a project. Collaboration not only enhances learning but also fosters important social and interpersonal skills such as communication, negotiation, and teamwork. MTF Labs always encourages collaboration rather than competition in the Makeathon context.
Innovation: Makeathons are often centred around the goal of creating something new and innovative. This encourages young people to think outside the box and to approach problems creatively, which can be a valuable skill in many areas of life.
Empowerment: Makeathons can be empowering for young people by giving them the opportunity to take control of their own learning and to make decisions about what they want to create. This can help to build confidence and a sense of agency, which can be carried over into other areas of their lives.
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Semerci, Ç., & Batdı, V. (2015). A Meta-Analysis of Constructivist Learning Approach on Learners' Academic Achievements, Retention and Attitudes. Journal of education and training studies, 3, 171-180.
Pagán, B. (2006). Positive Contributions of Constructivism to Educational Design. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 2.
Reyes, P.B. (2013). Implementation of a Proposed Model of a Constructivist Teaching-Learning Process – A Step Towards an Outcome Based Education in Chemistry Laboratory Instruction. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1, 174-187.
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