Instead of writing a final exam for Grade 12 Social Studies, the students in Patrick McDermottSA国际影视传媒檚 class at Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit spend their semester working on a project, then presenting it.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey identify an issue in Nunavut, or in the world, and they come up with a potential solution for it. So theySA国际影视传媒檒l do research on the topic. They literally define the problem and they define the solution,SA国际影视传媒� said McDermott.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd to make the evaluation and assessment, and project, authentic, this final presentation that they do to invited members of the community has the real goal to start the discussion on this solution and perhaps actually find ways of implementing it within the community.SA国际影视传媒�

McDermott adds, SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 probably one of the most authentic types of assessment that we do because itSA国际影视传媒檚 real life.SA国际影视传媒�

Mac Pavia, a graduate this year, invited Nunavut News to sit in on his presentation, along with business owner Cedric Rusike and NorthwestelSA国际影视传媒檚 manager of government relations and community engagement Gabby Morrill.

PaviaSA国际影视传媒檚 research and presentation centred around makerspaces and how they can benefit underrepresented youth, and part of his package was a business case for a camp based on his research and ideas.

Makerspaces are defined as places where people with shared interests can come together to work on projects, and share ideas, equipment, and knowledge.

In September 2018, opened such a location in Iqaluit, where Pavia works, and in May the non-profit association won a $10 million Smart Cities prize through Infrastructure Canada to open similar spaces in other Nunavut communities.

SA国际影视传媒淭he need for makerspaces in Nunavut is kind of apparent. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lack of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) education. We have groups that come up here every once in a while and they deliver some sort of STEAM-related curriculum to youth. It doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 work. YouSA国际影视传媒檙e giving them that knowledge, then youSA国际影视传媒檙e leaving,SA国际影视传媒� said Pavia, adding such groups may come back a few months later but, by then, the material is forgotten.

Pavia shared that as a student with ADHD, he discovered that project-based learning was more suited to him.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think that would work for a lot more youth if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a space where they can go with a problem and figure it out, and learn something new by creating something with their hands. Not just listening to someone talk about it,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

He provided examples from his own experiences with kids at the , where creative thinking led them to find solutions to problems they encountered.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome of these students are learning really fast. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e absorbing knowledge even faster than weSA国际影视传媒檙e able to give it to them,SA国际影视传媒� Pavia said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he reward is really just watching the next generation grow and embrace higher education.  It can also help renew a lot of the youthsSA国际影视传媒� interest in learning by providing something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 new and fresh and not the same stagnant concept that schools can kind of be now.SA国际影视传媒�

While researching, Pavia came across the concept called the SA国际影视传媒済rowth mindset,SA国际影视传媒� which he said was the most valuable thing he learned.

SA国际影视传媒淭he growth mindset is defined as the belief that through enough hard work you can actually do anything. You can become smarter than the smartest kid in your class. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 based on the belief that, I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 do well on this but ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to do better on the next one because ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to put more work into it,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he static mindset is the belief that I am this way, therefore I cannot change. The growth mindset is really important in learning. Unfortunately, schools donSA国际影视传媒檛 do enough to help develop that. They only kind of keep the static mindset going.SA国际影视传媒�

Pavia said with project-based learning, kids can fail, but they can fail in a good way that allows them to learn from their failure. He also emphasized that a makerspace can be anything from a cart with a couple of laptops and Lego in a school library, to a building with much more equipment on offer.

After PaviaSA国际影视传媒檚 presentation, the community panel asked many questions, which Pavia handily answered.

SA国际影视传媒淚deologically, can you explain to me why this community- or individual-based programming would be better than government-based programming,SA国际影视传媒� asked McDermott.

Pavia replied with two words: sharing knowledge.

SA国际影视传媒淚 find, with the school system we have, itSA国际影视传媒檚 all very stacked, very organized. You have to go through channels to change up the curriculum, teach something different. The makerspace has the more open, free-flowing model. We have the community making decisions about what they want,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the whole idea, where you have youth who are underrepresented, who are actually quite smart, be able to be positively influenced and have the resources to be able to pursue their knowledge and their interests.SA国际影视传媒�