Dive Brief:

• Kevin Jarrett, a middle school technology, engineering and design instructor in Northfield, NJ, has developed a close relationship with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, taking advantage of a range of tools and resources it has for students.
• Jarrett writes for Edutopia that the USPTO has resources for educators at all levels, including a dedicated education program advisor (Jorge Valdes), ready-to-use lessons, reference materials, project ideas, videos, interactive tools, classroom art and a directory that can help students finds libraries and other facilities where they can conduct research.
• Jarrett posed a design question for his students ("How might we make hospitals less scary for children?"), and students are in their second year of doing research on their way to developing products that can be patented.

Dive Insight:

Exploring patents and even applying for one is a key way to make learning relevant for students. They are engaged in a real-world pursuit while meeting the learning goals of a given class. Many schools around the country have found project-based learning to be an effective way of better engaging students, improving their academic outcomes and reducing disciplinary infractions.

Giving students an opportunity for external validation is a good capstone for a project. Some schools hold fairs, or Shark Tank-like sessions with local business people. Adding an application for a U.S. patent could be another option, though if students are designing new products, they should research existing patents at the start of their projects, not the end.