The purpose of this research project is to explore how we learn and to design an experiential, studio-based learning framework based on designing and making that incorporates these findings. Research indicates that people learn best when they follow their own interests and curiosity; through perseverance and trial and error; in a mixedage, facilitated, exploratory environment; pursuing project-based investigations with authentic context. Creativity is fundamental to innovation and problem solving and is nurtured by interdisciplinary learning, a playful mindset, and one’s intrinsic motivation. Design provides a systematic process to deeply understand, ideate about, prototype, and test a proposed solution or intervention to a problem. Making is an opportunity for learners to more deeply understand their ideas and thinking through tangible representations and to foster a sense of empowerment and agency over their world. A systems perspective allows learners to see the connections and relationships between the parts and processes they consider. By developing ecological literacy and incorporating resilience into their designs, learners create sustainable and adaptive solutions. The proposed design-make framework is an adaptive, studio-based alternative
learning system. Through service-oriented, project-based investigations, learners use the multiple resources in the design-make studio to deeply understand the problem in question and their ideas around that problem through iterative prototyping and presenting their findings to their mentors and peers for reflection and feedback.