DML2015 Ignite Talk - Sophia Bender
Channel: Connected Learning Alliance
Date: 2015-06-18

Title: A Cosplaying Learning Scientist Learns How to Make Learning More Fun!

I always did well in school, but it BORED me. Now that I've studied some learning sciences, I think creativity, interest-driven learning, and hands-on creation are the key to solving this problem. Let kids pursue complex projects that they are intrinsically motivated to work on, and interdisciplinary learning will follow! Case in point: cosplay--creating costumes that portray characters from popular media. In my short engagement with sewing cosplay costumes so far, I've practiced math in the form of measurement, symmetry, and visualizing 3D objects from 2D forms; I've used technology to program laser cutters and 3D printers to create the shapes I needed for the costumes; I've engaged in circuitry by sewing e-textile circuits; and I've thought critically about the narratives around the characters I was cosplaying. So I learned an awful lot, expressed myself creatively, and broke down traditional barriers between disciplinary content--STEM, art, and literacy don't have to be separate! The power of narrative seems to be the motivating hook here; if we tap into kids' existing interest in stories from popular culture, lots of fruitful learning can result even outside of traditional literacy. An added bonus: narrative seems to be a way to get more girls interested in STEM too! And yes, I'll have lots of pictures of colorful cosplays, as well as wear one of my own light-up costumes with 3D printed and laser cut parts!