We have some incredibly exciting news for our educator community! Makey Makey is thrilled to announce our continued partnership with the Infosys Foundation USA for the Pathfinders Summer Institute 2026.

If you are a public school teacher or librarian looking for ways to bring hands-on "Invention Literacy," physical computing, and creative coding into your classroom—and you want to do it at no cost—this is the professional development opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Introducing Our 2026 Course: Makey Makey as a Hands-on Computing Journey – From Simple Circuits to AI

This two-week PD experience supports educators in teaching computer science as a hands-on discipline that blends invention literacy, computational thinking, and creative computing. Makey Makey brings CS into the physical world by engaging students in re-imagining how they interact with computers.

During our time together, participants will progress through a unique and scaffolded learning arc based on Makey Makey’s soon-to-be-released elementary computing curriculum. We’ll begin with physical invention, building simple circuits, inventing computer interfaces, and exploring input and events in both hardware and software.

Why You Should Apply

• Full Scholarships: Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Infosys Foundation USA, qualifying K-12 public school teachers and public librarians can attend on a full scholarship (making it completely FREE).

• Free Hardware Kits: We don't just want you to learn about the tech; we want you to own it. Every accepted participant will receive a curated Teacher Kit shipped directly to their door.

Important Details

• Who: U.S. Public School Teachers & Public Librarians (Targeting Grades 4-10)

• Format: 100% Virtual (A two-week blend of live synchronous sessions and independent asynchronous building)

• When: Mid-Summer 2026

The Learning Arc

• Start Simple: We’ll start by connecting physical inventions to Makey Makey’s “no-code” web apps.

• Level Up Your Coding: Next, we'll move into remixing and programming interactive projects using Scratch® and Microsoft MakeCode®.

• Explore "Beyond Code": Finally, we'll dive into age-appropriate AI and machine learning concepts through integration with CreateAI (a Machine Learning platform for the BBC micro:bit) and other classroom AI tools.

Throughout the course, participants will experience these classroom-ready lessons as learners first, then step back to examine constructionist facilitation strategies and assessment approaches that support diverse learners.

The PD culminates in an Invention Challenge, where participants will create and share a Makey Makey-powered capstone project inspired by accessible interface design principles. The best part? You can take this exact challenge back to share with your students when you return to your classroom in the fall!

Course Learning Objectives

Participants will come away from this comprehensive course with:

• Confidence to Guide and Mentor Student Inventors through hands-on experience designing, testing, and iterating on circuits, switches, and inventions.

• Standards-Aligned, Future-Ready Computing Curriculum perfectly aligned with ISTE and CSTA standards, including the highly anticipated 2026 CSTA revision.

• Foundations for Teaching Artificial Intelligence as CS aligned with AI4K12 content guidelines, treating AI as a fundamental topic within computer science rather than a black box.

• Constructionist Teaching Strategies that Work, utilizing proven pedagogical tools and facilitation techniques that support curiosity, collaboration, and creative confidence.

How to Join Our Cohort

Spots in the Makey Makey cohort are strictly limited and always fill up incredibly fast. Don't miss your chance to spend the summer inventing with us!

👉 Click here to view the full requirements and start your application!

We can’t wait to see what you’ll invent this summer!

If you want to learn more about the Infosys Summer Pathfinders Institute, you can read about it more on their blog.