ONE MILLION LIGHTS: SOLVE AUTHENTIC PROBLEMS THROUGH MULTI-AGE STUDENT COLLABORATION, INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING, AND 3D PRINTING. ENGINEERING AND HUMANITY MERGE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BRIGHTER PLACE

There are many real-world problems waiting for solutions. We believe students can harness their creativity, collaborative skills, and knowledge of science and engineering to solve many of these problems. Students from Preston Middle School in Colorado, U.S.A. and students from Riverview High School in Canada are working together to collaboratively engineer a sustainable light source. The two schools are partnering with students in the Dominican Republic and Uganda to understand the challenges faced by living without access to safe and reliable light. These four countries each have specific and vital roles to the success of this mission!

Students truly value and learn from one another’s cultures and life experiences. Digital Collaboration allows students to experience each other’s schools and homes. Students share experiences of how lack of access to light limits learning opportunities and divides neighbors who have and don’t have light after dark. Riverview High School specializes in designing a renewably powered lighting system. Preston Middle School specializes in engineering a 3D printed case to house the light. Students at the CHAT (Care and Hope through Adoption and Technology) House (Uganda) and students in the Dominican are using the prototypes, giving feedback, and will distribute the final product to their family, friends and neighbors.

High level STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) entrepreneurial thinking is happening because all students are motivated by the authentic need. Students from all areas donate their time, strengths, intelligence and energy. Collaboration occurs during traditional school time, but more often, outside of school hours because of time differences. Students often learn, create, refine asynchronously through blogs, video, photos, brainstorming and suggestions. This project truly incorporates all disciplines and requires every voice to achieve success.

Through the guidance of industry and academic professionals, an open-sourced circuit and 3D printer file are available. Anybody, anywhere, can print the light shell and assemble the electronic components. Schools, communities and businesses can send their newly-manufactured light to a global humanitarian organization (yet to be named) for distribution to families around the world who do not have access to reliable, safe light after dark.

International Technology, Education and Development Conference participants are invited to become part of this incredible journey where science and humanity merge to better the lives of everyone involved. Turn on the science and humanitarian light in your students as they turn on light in other parts of the world. Together, we can produce one-million lights!