The  Oasis Skateboard Factory: Return to the One-Room Schoolhouse

William Robertson

doi:10.31686/ijier.vol7.iss3.1374

Authors

William Robertson

The University of Texas at El Paso, USA

Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol7.iss3.1374

Keywords:

curriculum, stem, action, science, physics, mathematics, skateboarding

Abstract

How can you get young people interested in science and mathematics? What efforts are there to integrate the experiences of high school students into the things they need to do and learn in school? How can action sports, like skateboarding be used to teach science, mathematics, language arts, history and help at-rick and marginalized students to grow in their engagement and motivation in high school, as well as to graduate?

This is in part answered at the Oasis Skateboard Factory (OSF) an alternative high school in Toronto, Canada. The factory, under the direction of founding teacher Craig Morrison, has enjoyed success since it opened in 2008. The OSF enrolls 25 students per semester and they earn academic credits as they develop their artwork, design and manufacturing skills through a skateboard-centric academic construction process. Additionally, students who are part of this academic program have a 95 percent graduation rate.

Author Biography

William Robertson, The University of Texas at El Paso, USA

Teacher Education Department, Professor

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