Post-Bachelor's Certificate in Design and Making in Education

The Design and Making in Education post-baccalaureate certificate focuses on Making/Makerspaces across formal and informal learning contexts. Students learn a suite of Making practices, informed by theoretical lenses grounded in equity and strength-based approaches.

While earning this certification, students will learn how to integrate making and design into their instruction and professional practice. The program focuses on best practices in the set up and organization of Makerspaces, as well as the design of learning activities to support making and design in educational settings.

Using UNC Greensboro’s SELF Design Studio, students will move their ideas from concept to creation. They can work with faculty and staff to plan, develop, and execute projects beyond the traditional classroom setting. They will bring learning to life with 21st-century tools and technologies.

Get Your Certificate in Design and Making With UNCG’s Makerspace

Students earning their P.B.C. in Design and Making in Education get to work in UNC Greensboro’s SELF Design Studio, a Makerspace conveniently located in the School of Education. This makerspace primarily supports education students, especially pre-service teachers, by helping them explore how to integrate meaningful, hands-on activities into their future classrooms.

The SELF Design Studio gives lets students work with emerging technologies such as 3D printers, robotics, art supplies, and circuitry kits. It’s a space that encourages students to create and test hands-on activities before they take them into their classrooms. Activities include hand-crafted dioramas, interactive storybooks made with circuit boards, stop-motion animation, sound-based lessons using code, and podcast recording sessions.

The studio is open every day, although some days are appointment-only. Students may drop in or schedule an appointment during open studio hours. They may schedule time to discuss and develop a concept with a member of the SELF Design Studio. They may also schedule work sessions when they are ready to begin the project. Staff will reserve the space for specific classes.

The Certificate in Design and Making in Education Student Experience

Students in the Design and Making Education P.B.C. program learn about the Maker mindset. They will learn how the movement encourages problem-solving and discovery-based learning in classrooms. They will develop technical skills so they can teach their own students to learn by doing. Along the way, they will develop soft skills to enrich the learning experience through Making.

To get certified in Design and Making in Education, students take three required courses: Learning in Schools and Communities, Teaching and Learning in Makerspaces, and Design-based Action Research in Education. They will complete their required 12 credit hours with an elective. Students may choose one of three:

• Teaching English as a Second Language
• Issues and Trends in Literacy Education
• Environmental Education

Students may request a consultation with a member of the SELF Design Studio to conceptualize a project before they are ready to build. They can schedule these 30-minute meetings in person or online.

After Receiving a Certificate in Design and Making in Education

Upon completion of their Design and Making in Education certification, graduates may be eligible for various positions in their school districts which facilitate hands-on learning and STEM skills. Example careers include:

• Lead Teacher
• STEM Coordinator
• Librarian
• After School Coordinator
• Curriculum Specialist