Maker Culture
Fostering Creativity
and Innovation:
The Educraftory.Lab Experience at Turku
Teacher Training School
Maker Culture
The Educraftory.Lab Experience at Turku
Teacher Training School
“The workshocks have been an easy way to talk about technology and think about how to use it in a concrete way in my teaching.”
Teacher in Turku University Teacher Training School
Aki Järvinen
“The workshocks have been an easy way to talk about technology and think about how to use it in a concrete way in my teaching.”
has been making waves, transforming the traditional educational landscape into a vibrant hub of creativity and technological exploration.
Spearheaded by the visionary Linda Mannila, this initiative aimed to cultivate a new operational culture within the freshly renovated school premises, where learning through experiments and creativity is not just encouraged but thrives.
The project kicked off with a call
to action for the school's most
enthusiastic educators.
The goal was simple yet ambitious:
assemble a group of 4–6 pioneering
teachers to form a seedgroup.
This core team was envisioned to
be the heart of the initiative, driving
the project forward through
experimentation and innovation
in specially designed
"workshocks" - intensive,
hands-on workshops aimed
at fostering creativity and
technological fluency.
Throughout the school year, these
3-hour workshocks served as a
crucible for creativity, open to
all teachers and teacher trainees
eager to immerse themselves in new
technological frontiers.
From augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to drones, 3D printing, and interactive invention kits like Micro:bit and Makey Makey, participants were encouraged to explore, experiment, and eventually implement these technologies in their teaching practices.
A highlight among the projects was a robotics initiative,
where sixth graders guided
their younger peers through
the intricacies of programming Lego Robots, showcasing the
project's emphasis on peer
learning and the practical
application of technology
in education.
Beyond the Classroom:
Situated in an international boarding
school setting, the IEE programme
immerses students in a richly diverse
environment that fosters learning not
just through textbooks, but through real-
world experiences and interactions.
This setting is pivotal in teaching that learning transcends age; it is driven by passion and interest.
The curriculum is thoughtfully
designed to take students through
a series of processes that transform
ideas into tangible realities.
Over the course of one year, participants
engage deeply with the core tenets
of entrepreneurship, including design
thinking, prototyping, teamwork,
and business fundamentals.
This comprehensive
approach ensures that
students not only dream up
innovative ideas but also
possess the practical skills
to bring these ideas to life.
The EMTI Box:
A pivotal innovation within the project
was the development of the EMTI Box,
a mobile makerlab designed to bring
the maker education experience
directly to the classroom.
Recognising the logistical limitations of a stationary makerspace, the project team envisioned the EMTI Box as a versatile, all-in-one solution capable of transforming any space into a creative workshop.
This mobile lab,
equipped with technology easily
accessible through drawers, meant
that innovative projects could be
brought to multiple classrooms
simultaneously, democratising
access to maker education.
Perhaps one of the most lasting
impacts of the Educraftory.Lab project
has been the formation of a
dedicated community of science
teachers, extending beyond Turku
University Teacher Training School to
include educators from other institutions.
United by their experiences in the project,
these teachers have continued to collaborate, breaking down traditional barriers between disciplines and age groups
This collaborative spirit is central
to the project's ultimate aim:
to establish a foundation for a learning organisation where continuous improvement, experimentation, and mutual support are the norm.
The Educraftory.Lab project at Turku
University Teacher Training School
represents a bold step forward in
the integration of technology and
creativity in education.
By fostering a culture of innovation, encouraging collaborative learning, and developing versatile tools like the EMTI Box, the project has laid the groundwork for a new era of educational excellence.
Through its initiatives, the project not
only enhances the learning experience
for students but also provides
a model for future educational
endeavours where technology and
creativity intersect to unlock the full
potential of both educators and
students alike.
A ‘Craftorship’ education
The International Entrepreneurship
Education Programme
Hackathon Facilitation
The Greenhack Story
From Idea to Prototype in Just 48 Hours
The Eduhack Series - The Makerhack Experience
Uniting Technology, Education, and Sustainability:
The Impact and Insights
The "Hacking the 6th Wave" Project
The Evolution of Community and Creativity
at Hub Turku
The Journey of Hub Turku
Innovation Concepts
Catalyzing Innovation in Education Through Team
Learning and Design Thinking
Dreams 2 Reality
Educraftory.Inc Young Entrepreneur Programme
Do you have ideas for a project?
Searching for collaborative partners? Reach out to us!
Charting the Future of Adult Education
Ecosystem Synergies
The Expansion of the Digital Education Hackathon
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