Quest to Learn

Cool website promoting the school, Quest to Learn:

http://q2l.org/

"Quest’s standards-based curriculum supports students in becoming active problem solvers and innovators of the 21st century. Our curriculum is design led and inquiry-based, in that it immerses students within complex problem solving contexts where they are challenged to innovate around possible solutions. Tinkering and theory building are critical practices supported across the curriculum. Students are given time, space and purpose to tinker with systems (games, simulations, small machines, social systems, ecologies, etc.)"


The idea of providing space for tinkering caught my interest.  When I think of tinkering, tinkertoys come to mind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinkertoy), robotics, Mechano, Lego, heavy duty mechanics.  How do we create space for tinkering for our students?  What does tinkering look like for the 21st century learner?