KATE JAMES

Head of Product, NuVuX, Makerspace Specialist

MIT SmVisS | MIT MArch | Harvard GSE MEd

Innovation School

Partner School Network

؜Full time immersive studio school for 60 students/year

؜Empowers schools around the world to deliver innovative learning experiences

In our workshop today, we are going to consider and take lessons from nature's most amazing collaborators: ANTS!

؜HUMANS vs. ANTS

Ants collaborate well because they have:

1. Clarity of Role
2. Effective Communication
3. Interdependence
4. Adaptability

؜HUMANS vs. ANTS

Reference: https://www.smartculture.uk/what-ants-can-teach-us-about-collaboration/

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

In this design challenge, you are being tasked with creating a system or apparatus that will allow you to collectively carry an object from one place to another, navigating several obstacles along the way.

To test our collaborative capacity and explore dynamics and framing when collaborating in a large group in work towards a common goal

Rules of the Challenge

؜At least 4 people in your group have to be engaged with/ connected to the object at any given time in the challenge

؜You must navigate through 3 distinct obstacles as you move the object. Consider their shape and the way the object will have to move through them as you design your strategy.

؜You cannot touch the object with your hands as you move it through the course

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؜There is a 3-second penalty for every time the object is dropped or touches your hand

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؜Group up

؜Strategize

؜Build

A good example of signals are "the launch of chatGPT" or "the fall of the iconic tunnel tree redwood" and good examples of drivers would be "artificial intelligence" or "climate change"

Then, identify signals (glimpses of the future we already see today) and drivers (what made the signal possible)



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؜Test

؜STEPS

؜Get into groups of ~6 people

؜Brainstorm and sketch ideas

؜Use the simple materials to create your system of transporting the object

Each team will go through the course, being timed

~5 mins

~5 mins

~10 mins

~10 mins

؜MATERIALS

Cutting Mat

Cardboard

Straws

Metal Ruler

Cutting Blade

Masking Tape

Hot Glue Gun

String

Brads

Wooden skewers

END OF CHALLENGE!

START OF REFLECTION!

1. ؜What felt rewarding? What felt hard? How did these ANT principles come into play: Clarity of Role, Effective Communication, Interdependence, Adaptability?

1. What was challenging about working in a large group? How do you think this challenge would be different in a pair or triad of collaborators?

1. What did collaboration look like in the planning phase vs. the implementation/ running of the challenge phase?

؜Reflection

https://nuvux.nuvustudio.com