According to research, project-based learning can improve student retention and engagement. Additionally, project-based learning is well suited to support 21st century skills, including critical thinking and self-direction. “One of the most important skills of the 21st century is learning to understand things independently“, emphasized Bacon. The Genius Bar at Ossining Middle School matched students’ interests while equipping them with relevant skills to navigate and adapt to ever-changing technological landscape.
Encourage agency and independent learning
Learning didn’t stop at computer batteries, according to Bacon. Learning how to repair something they use every day with their own hands piqued the students’ interest. Bacon and network specialists brought a few broken Chromebooks to one of the lunchtime training sessions and took them apart. “(The networking specialist) showed every piece, every wire, what it is, what it does and how to unclip it,” Bacon said. The children were able to collect all these broken devices, collect the different parts and use them to repair other devices.
The success of the Genius Bar grew from an informal lunchtime group to an after-school club where students could learn about Chromebooks and repair them. Students learned how to perform hardware repairs for their peers. Students were learning to be independent, Bacon said. “Rather than going upstairs and asking someone to do it, they can do it right in the library,” Bacon added.
Last year, Bacon got a grant to get a 3D printer, and the Genius Bar students said they would meet up after school to set it up. “I thought, ‘They’re 11 and 12 and this is worth about $2,000,’ Bacon said. “But the reality is people will rise to whatever bar is set for them.” With the help of one of the technology teachers, the students assembled their 3D printer. Since then, they have also assembled microphones for podcasting and a mixing board.
Engage all students, not just those who achieve the best
Students, regardless of their academic level, found the Genius Bar program useful, including those who needed additional learning support and English Language Learners. Bacon attributes this to the fact that technology doesn’t just impact high-achieving students. “We all use technology,” she said.Some students learned how to connect to Chromebooks for the first time, while others eagerly took apart their computers. “(Equipment repair) is not a skill that we necessarily teach in school every day,” Bacon emphasized. “Unfortunately, children have these wonderful skills that do not always align academically with the things we do. So this space really allows kids to shine by fixing and understanding and just seeing how things are put together. As a result, some students now aspire to careers related to technologywhile others simply appreciate practical knowledge.
21st Century Skills and High School
The impact of the Genius Bar was so great that students advocated for a similar program at the high school level. They proposed an elective course to the high school principal, who agreed to offer an accredited course. Bacon helped students present their proposal to the school board, leading to the launch of the Ossining High School Genius Bar class for the 2023-24 school year.
“We want them to be able to run the help desk, a student help desk,” said Oumar Sarr, who teaches at the high school’s Genius Bar. “We also partner with the tech department to get students learning the basics of computer troubleshooting, fixing some small issues that students and some teachers even encounter with their technology devices.” The course also includes a Google Level 1 certification which teaches students proficiency with Google Classroom tools such as Gmail, Drive, and Calendar.
Sarr’s goal is to encourage students to think creatively about technologynot only as consumers, but also as critical thinkers who can shape it. “We started talking AI technology and its impact on students and our communities,” Sarr explained. “They discover that technology, like everything else, must be channeled. It must be directed in a direction that is useful, because otherwise, technology can be destructive. »
