Invent to Learn First Edition (2013)
Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom (first edition, 2013) is the book that launched the maker movement in education. Grounding hands-on making and tinkering in constructionist learning theory derived from Seymour Papert’s work, Martinez and Stager made the case — with both theoretical rigor and practical classroom guidance — that children learn best when they are making things that matter to them.
The book argues against instructionist teaching models that dominate standardized-test-driven schools, instead advocating for experiential, project-based learning where students construct knowledge through building physical and digital artifacts. Drawing on historical foundations from progressive educators including John Dewey and Maria Montessori, the authors connect a century of progressive pedagogy to contemporary maker practices: robotics, 3D printing, physical computing, and programming.
Central to the book’s argument is student agency. The authors’ “Less Us, More Them” teaching mantra challenges educators to constantly ask whether they can step back and grant more authority and responsibility to learners. Unstructured “messing about” time, iterative design, and the computer as a material for thinking are among the book’s defining contributions to educational practice.
This first edition established the intellectual framework that tens of thousands of educators worldwide have used to transform classrooms into studios where learning happens through creation rather than passive reception.
Audience: K-12 educators, makerspace coordinators, curriculum developers, educational technology specialists, teacher educators, and school administrators.
Topics covered: constructionism · maker education · tinkering · project-based learning · student agency · hands-on learning · makerspaces · educational robotics · digital fabrication · Seymour Papert · progressive education · STEAM education