Junior Summer School 2024 – Lessons of experiential learning and its impact on young minds
This 2024 edition of INGENIUM Junior Summer School, themed “Print Your Mind in 3D – Empower Your Creativity”, hosted by “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, during May 20-24, in Iasi, Romania, provided an unique platform for over 45 young students across the INGENIUM Alliance to experience and explore the concepts of design thinking and 3D printing.
Print Your Mind in 3D – Empower Your Creativity
In just five days, the mixed teams of students successfully brought their projects to life. You can further find out how each day was organised and what were the key elements that contributed to their achievements.
“As a professor, I found this experience profoundly rewarding and inspiring, offering insights into the potential of young minds when given the right context, tools, and guidance.”
Lidia Alexa, Professor at TUIASI and Mentor at 10 Days of INGENIUM
From perfect strangers to tight knit teams and friends, in just five days
The first day began with an air of anticipation and excitement. The welcome session set the tone for the week, with icebreaker activities fostering a sense of community among the participants. The teachers outlined the objectives of the program and encouraged students to share their expectations.
Forming teams was a crucial step, as it laid the foundation for collaborative learning and peer support throughout the program. The goal was to make sure the teams were diverse in terms of background, experience, and native language.
The Design Thinking Process: generating ideas that would solve everyday problems that students face
Day two offered students insights into the Design Thinking Process, and they were introduced to the stages of empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing. The focus was on putting themselves in the user’s shoes to understand their needs and wants deeply. The challenge was to come up with product ideas that would solve problems that students face in different settings, either on campus, at home, or in the classroom.
By the end of the day, the teams had generated creative solutions and were ready to move forward with their product ideas. Witnessing the students’ enthusiasm and their ability to think outside the box was particularly inspiring for all professors and mentors involved in the activities.
A quick dive into the world of 3D Design and Printing
The third day was dedicated to the fascinating world of 3D design and printing. The day started with an introduction to the technology, followed by sessions on designing for 3D printing, highlighting key considerations and best practices. The hands-on session was both intense and instructive, as students created their designs with guidance from Autocad experts from TUIASI University. By the end of the day, the students’ excitement was palpable as teams had their product ideas designed and ready for 3D printing.
Go to market strategies and well prepared pitch presentations
Day four shifted focus to the business aspects of product development. Students learned about market analysis, identifying target segments, crafting a compelling value proposition, and developing a go-to-market strategy. Preparing their pitch presentations was an exercise in clarity and persuasion. By the end of the day, each team had a solid strategy and a well-prepared pitch. The integration of technical and business skills was a crucial learning experience for the students and as intense the program was, the students were excited to see what they can accomplish in just 4 days of hard work.
The final projects showcase, the culmination of team work, creativity and hard work
The final day was the culmination of the week’s efforts as the day started with all teams making final preparations for their presentations and fine-tuning their pitches. The project showcase was a proud moment, as each team presented their innovative products and received feedback from peers and mentors. The level of work ethic, professionalism, and creativity displayed by the students was truly impressive for all parties involved.
After a series of heartwarming speaches in the Closing Ceremony, students participated in the ceremonial planting of the INGENIUM Tree and as tradition goes, the INGENIUM baton was pasted on from Iasi to Rouen where the next Senior Summer School would take place.
The Junior Summer School ended with a celebration, marking the impressive achievements of the participants who, in just 5 days, working in an unfamiliar setting, with people they had never met before and in a language they don’t converse on a daily basis, managed to create really amazing products.
“As a professor, observing the students’ growth and development over the week was immensely gratifying. Their ability to grasp complex concepts, work collaboratively, and produce innovative solutions was inspiring. The experience reinforced the importance of experiential learning and its impact on young minds, as well as the role educators play in creating the right context and nurturing their students’ potential.”
Lidia Alexa, Professor at TUIASI and Mentor at 10 Days of INGENIUM
More than just a learning experience
This experience didn’t just provide a hands-on framework for learning but also the opportunity to bond and form friendships with what some say to be perfect strangers, people they have never met before, from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
The participants of the INGENIUM Junior Summers School had the opportunity to embrace this cultural exchange outside the official settings of the classroom by attending campus concerts together, taking part in Treasure Hunt Games, talent show moments and of course, enjoying the common language of dance and song.
This edition of Junior Summer School constituted another reminder for all involved – professors, teachers, mentors, and students – that the possibilities are endless when people who are open-minded and willing to learn are empowered with the right tools and guidance. And probably a more subtle lesson was learned about how we can use our differences as strengths, to come together and create something meaningful.
