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When our current students become engineers, they will be required to solve problems on a daily basis. The \u201cCrazy Machine\u201d assessment is an open-ended problem with no \u2018right\u2019 way of solving it, which leads to creative solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Armed with identical-sized boxes, the students\u2019 brief was to move a steel ball from entry to exit in exactly one minute. Students worked in teams to imagine, design, execute and operate their machines. Many of them worked on their assessments in the Library\u2019s Makerspace, utilising equipment like the 3D printers and laser cutters to build elements of their project. It was a joy to see so much \u2018making\u2019 happening within the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After many hard and long hours of work, the teams set up their machines in the Library Makerspace for grading. Each group was assessed on timing, hardware \/ software \/ mechanical complexity, use of recycled materials, aesthetics, and more. The winning \u201cCrazy Machine\u201d was developed by student engineers Thomas Howlett and Angus Watson, with an impressive mining-style contraption (pictured).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Integrating project-based learning within a Makerspace is a natural fit. This hands-on environment offers students a creative space to explore, encouraging problem-solving and idea generation through their own self-directed learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n