School children and take it apart.

[DimitriP]

I think a few decades ago, schools still have "shop class", and "music class." Those have been either axed away, or cut back due to "budget constraints".

But daaammmmmnnnnn.... look at the real estate, resources, and budgets devoted to the sacred sports of football and basketball. If you even suggest a cutback on these areas and funnel the money to other education resources (computer lab, science lab, etc), you will be deemed a heretic and ostracized.

Add sports to the "PR value" I mentioned earlier.

Sports. They will tell you they are supported by donations and other funding that is specificaly allocated for "that".  Story alert:  Once upon a time , a long time ago at a college near Anaheim ( not too far away from Disneyland)...I saw flowerbeds  being ripped out every other month and new fresh flowers planted. It was supported by  a donation specifically for this purpose.
And of course there were the stadium lights that they were going to get upgraded thanks to another sizable donation for "that".
 In the meantime there were seniors that werent able to enrol  because after their their loan and the financial aid and everything else thrown in they were short $1000 cash that's was just too bad.  But if you played tennis.....not so hard.

[djacobow]

I suggested trying to start a maker-movement style "International Take It Apart Day" a few years back.

Most people who responded were not enthusiastic:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/international-take-it-apart-day/msg508583/#msg508583

However, I still think it would be kind of brilliant if all the maker-y media sites just picked a day on the calendar and announced that that was ITIAD, and then sponsored on-line and local events. Maybe, bring some stuff to a school along with tools, and invite people to take it apart, maybe some live tear-downs, a bunch of blog entries, etc. To me, it's not just about learning or teaching electronics, it's about creating a space and time once a year where it people are encouraged to be curious about what makes the physical world around them go. Most people in their LIVES will not even consider for a moment how a car engine or TV work, nor will they ever get a chance to fully appreciate the creativity and effort that it takes to turn sand into an iPhone. I personally don't get it, because I like to know how EVERYTHING works. It gives me a lot of pleasure and, of course, makes the world a lot less mysterious.

-- dave j

PS -- I can't resist the impulse to opine on teaching kids Ohm's law. I actually would teach them that it's not a law at all, but a property of material, and not all materials behave that way; in fact, the most interesting ones don't. Build a simple current source variable from 1 to 100mA, powered by a 9V battery, and put it in a box with a knob. Hand it to some kids along with a voltmeter and a 100ohm resistor and a diode, and tell them to adjust the current and measure the voltage and make a graph of each. 12 years olds can make a graph.

[NiHaoMike]

I think a few decades ago, schools still have "shop class", and "music class." Those have been either axed away, or cut back due to "budget constraints".

But daaammmmmnnnnn.... look at the real estate, resources, and budgets devoted to the sacred sports of football and basketball. If you even suggest a cutback on these areas and funnel the money to other education resources (computer lab, science lab, etc), you will be deemed a heretic and ostracized.

At one school I went to a long time ago, they actually did not allow students to play football during recess because people were getting hurt!

[ez24]

bring some stuff to a school along with tools

who is going to give a kid a tool?  Too many lawyers around.