As the current contribution "Da Vinci RELOADED. Art and creativity in STEM maker projects" shows, creativity is increasingly regarded as one of the essential future skills. It is closely linked to the capacity for technological innovation. To make these abilities tangible, so-called maker projects lend themselves to the task, forming the ideal interface to unite scientific theory and creative making.
A classic entry-level project in this context is the module "Electronic Design". Here, learners receive the fictional brief to wire up electronic components such as LEDs, resistors and batteries on a limited budget (for example 7 euros) and integrate them into a freely chosen artwork. The materials are deliberately left open: from cardboard and wood to shattered glass, anything is possible.
"Precisely when maker projects place an emphasis on creativity and self-directed work, it is important that the materials used are harmless and inexpensive. Only then does a genuine space for mistakes and experimental solutions emerge."
From the battery to the microcontroller
The next development stage of such concepts, as described in the module "Microcontroller and Art", is the use of micro:bits or Arduinos and visual, block-based programming languages. Through the integration of sensors and actuators, a static illuminated sculpture becomes an interactive artwork that communicates with its surroundings.
"With sensors, the artworks respond directly to the viewer. This can be an artificial cactus that uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure approaching movement and issue a warning, or an autonomously supplied vertical-farming system staged as a living succulent picture."
The added value of these interdisciplinary concepts lies in the lasting consolidation of knowledge: when physics or computer-science content is applied far from conventional subject teaching in a self-designed, artistic context, the learning curve rises sharply. Technology thus moves from being mere study material to a tangible tool for one's own creative expression.
