Educational initiatives that emphasize making, design, engineering, and tinkering have been gaining traction in schools and organizations across the country. While maker-centered learning is not a new concept, recent and emerging trends suggest a new kind of hands-on pedagogy—a responsive and flexible pedagogy that encourages community and collaboration (a do-it-together mentality), distributed teaching and learning, and crossing boundaries.

Agency by Design (AbD) is a multiyear research initiative at Project Zero investigating the promises, practices, and pedagogies of maker-centered learning experiences.

Maker Empowerment, Sensitivity to Design Diagram. Three sections rotating in a continuous circle. Looking Closely -> Exploring Complexity -> Finding Opportunity.
Agency by design logo

Project Info

Project Dates: 2012 - 2020
Principal Investigators: Shari Tishman (Phase 1 & 2), Edward Clapp (Phase 2)
Funder: The Abundance Foundation

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