In chapter one, An Insanely Brief and Incomplete History of Making, making, tinkering and engineering are discussed in relation to Piagetian theories. Making, tinkering and engineering are more concrete and real world then having to do math problems. They can relate to other interests of the students that help make the situation easier to understand. I can personally relate to this because math and science aren't my strong suits so when I need to work with the subjects I am easily intimidated. Doing the circuits project I was confused from the start just because of the vocabulary tied to the topic. Being able to make something artistically and combine it with circuits was a really beneficial learning experience for me. It was definitely challenging and I needed a lot of help, but seeing the end result helped me to connect concepts in my mind that I wouldn't have been able to do without that experience. This is something that making, tinkering and electronics can bring into the classroom. Real life experiences help to break down bigger, more complex concepts and make them easier to understand. Another take away is from, Digital Fabrication and 'Making' in Education: The Democratization of Invention. When students began working in digital fabrication they also gained a deeper appreciation for manual labor that they needed to perform. I think that's a really important part of digital fabrication; the combination of traditional and technological materials. Learning about technology is really important but so is learning about traditional materials. They both require a level of detail and patience that can be very beneficial to student learning. Learning through making brings a better understanding to other concepts in school. Tangible experiences are extremely beneficial to students.
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