Giving Compass' Take:

• The Maker Faire Kansas City showcases entrepreneurial skills and maker culture combined into one by exploring and innovating different collaborative projects and then sharing them with others. 

• Why is it important for young people to be exposed to maker culture and that type of learning style? What are the benefits?

• Read about the five tips of building a maker culture of equity and inclusion. 

For many, hands-on experience is the only way to learn.

"I am a good example of hands-on learning," said Steve Siegel, design engineer in the department of physics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. "I could not understand a lot of things in textbooks, but I get my hands on them, and it would click in my head."

This idea, rooted deeply in the region’s makers, doers and dreamers, was on full display at Maker Faire Kansas City.  Thousands gathered for the “Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth,” which showcases invention, creativity and resourcefulness – all with an eye toward the future. The spirit feeds the entrepreneurial mindset, something many feel is essential in education to prepare students for a future transformed by technology.

One aspect of Maker Faire is showcasing how people can learn and collaborate to create. "I love watching all the creativity in action, the problem solving, the sharing with each other," said Callen Zind, KC Stem Alliance communications manager.

"I think it is really important especially for young entrepreneurs to see that making things not only can be fun in and of itself, but can lead to different career paths that they might enjoy," Mike Landon, an engineer, said. "Without hands-on or project-based learning you’re just teaching facts and not experiences."

Read the full article about STEM education by Vilmer Alvarado and Rayvin White at Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation