Remake Learning Days Across America
Overview
Remake Learning Days Across America are regional celebrations of innovative educational practices. At community-hosted events, young people and their families experience science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) learning. In the process, they discover new approaches to learning that develop creativity, perseverance, and curiosity.
The first weeklong festival, established in 2016 by the Remake Learning network with support from the Grable Foundation, consisted of more than 250 hands-on learning activities and events for more than 30,000 families in Pittsburgh (Remake Learning, n.d.). Since then, the program has evolved into a festival of more than 1,150 activities and events held in April and May in 17 regions across the United States. In 2019 more than 500 local organizations supported Remake Learning Days, which several national partners also supported, including PBS Kids, Digital Promise, Common Sense Media, Learning Heroes, and Noggin. Remake Learning Days give families a new appreciation for the places they already know, such as schools, museums, libraries, early child care centers, universities, media centers, parks, after-school community hubs, and more. Events are typically free and provide engaging learning experiences for students of all ages, as well as their families, teachers, and community members (Remake Learning Days, n.d.c). Events are organized into six learning themes: arts, maker, outdoor learning, science, technology, and youth voice (Remake Learning Days, n.d.b).
At a Remake Learning Days event hosted by a science museum in San Diego County, for example, students and their parents participate side by side in a hands-on problem-solving activity to take apart a toy and put it back together. These opportunities provide fun bonding experiences for parents and their children. Importantly, they also show families what innovative learning experiences feel like in practice. The aim is for this deeper understanding of diverse pedagogies to unleash families’ ability to dream of and demand different educational approaches.
In 2019 the Global Family Research Project, in partnership with the Grable Foundation, shared its findings about Remake Learning Days. The report showed that, over time, families who participated in Remake Learning Days steadily indicated an increase in their familiarity with the concept of STEAM and their understanding of new ways of learning. Additionally, findings indicated the events were equitably attended and did not leave families out due to racial, cultural, linguistic, or economic status. The report further demonstrated that family participation in Remake Learning Days increased the likelihood that children would enjoy the experience and seek additional STEAM learning opportunities. The report concluded that Remake Learning Days are a prime example of how to build family-school engagement for a more equitable STEAM learning ecology and ensure all children learn the necessary skills for success (Remake Learning Days, n.d.a).
Testimonials
- “I really enjoyed the event and spending the time to learn with my daughter” – Parent from West Virginia (Remake Learning Days, 2019)
- “We loved the remake project—making a vehicle out of recycled materials and plastic screws and tools. It was fun to see my 10-year-old open up his imagination and creativity!” – Parent from Central Pennsylvania (Remake Learning Days, personal communication, July 7, 2021)
- “We had a lot of fun! It was interesting to see the children teach their parents. Maybe a little frustrating also. We still had some good laughs though. I had zero experience with Scratch [computer coding software] and now I understand it a little bit. Most importantly, my child said he really liked it!” – Parent from Southwestern Pennsylvania (Remake Learning Days, personal communication, July 7, 2021)
References
Remake Learning. (n.d.). About Remake Learning. https://remakelearning.org/about/
Remake Learning Days. (n.d.a). Creating engagement pathways for families during Remake Learning Days and beyond: Global Family Research Project. https://remakelearningdays.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/RLD19_LearningMemoV2-2.pdf
Remake Learning Days. (n.d.b). Learning themes. https://remakelearningdays.org/planning-guides-tips/themes/
Remake Learning Days. (n.d.c). Power your child’s future. https://remakelearningdays.org/
Remake Learning Days. (2019). Highlights from the inaugural year: Remake Learning Days Across America. https://remakelearningdays.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RLDAA_2019_Highlights-.pdf
