Ms. Roy's Students Repurposed Overhead Carts as Stand-up Desks

This activity from Ms. Roy's technology education courses at RAMS may be the ultimate in authentic stem education. Rather than a purely digital assignment or one focused on a theoretical challenge, students were given the task to use their design skills to create a practical project for the use of Adams teachers.

Students had discovered that surplus overhead projector carts in the school building were an appropriate size and design to be repurposed as a stand-up desk with essential customization. The use of ceiling-mounted LCD projectors had eliminated any need for the carts in their original purpose. Therefore, students interviewed interested teachers for their individual needs for the desk including additional shelving, storage, and other stylistic changes.

Students then used the information gathered as the basis of a computer-aided design process in order to develop a plan for modifications. Over several weeks, students then used classroom supplies and those provided by Ms. Roy to individualize the  desks to match the design. Teachers are now being presented with these student-designed and engineered projects - and loving them!