Enhancing Teacher & Student Creativity Using Cricut, Aigner, Summer 2026

Note: Registration for this course closes on June 5, 2026 for Section 1, and July 17, 2026 for Section 2, to ensure on-time technology delivery. The Center for Schools reserves the right to order a different Cricut model based on cost and availability and to cancel the course if the supply chain is interrupted or the technology becomes prohibitively expensive.

Course Description

Cricut is the brand name of a non-industrial die-cutting machine (or cutting plotter) used for various projects. It is perfect for classrooms, art rooms, and maker spaces. The newest Cricut Maker uses hundreds of materials, from fabrics to balsa wood. It can cut, write, and score material and comes equipped with a rotary blade and knife blade. The Cricut Design Space software supports teacher and student creativity. Users can design and upload their artwork or fonts for free. Or select from the free and paid clip art, fabric patterns, and other projects in the Design Space.

The course tuition includes a Cricut Maker 3 and a basic tool set.

NOTE: Course registration closes prior to the course start date to ensure on-time technology delivery. The Center for Schools reserves the right to order a different Cricut model based on cost and availability. The Center also reserves the right to cancel the course if the supply chain is interrupted or the technology becomes prohibitively expensive.

 Audience: K-12 educators who have a Bachelor's Degree

Course Goals & Objectives:

Course Goals:

• Teachers will effectively integrate Cricut and other computer technology to enhance teaching and learning.
• Learn about graphic design in the Design Space Software and output projects to the Cricut Hardware for use in the classroom.
• Teachers will produce working resources in their subject area to implement in their classrooms during the school year. These are resources that they can start using immediately. The power of the Course is that it provides participants time to discover new ideas, develop new skills, and integrate technology into their existing curriculum and classroom.

Course Objectives: Participants will be able to:

1. Effectively integrate the use of the Cricut into the classroom and classroom instruction
2. Sharpen skills working with graphic design
3. Create student projects and classroom resources for use throughout the year
4. Share these resources with district colleagues.

Instructor

Patricia Aigner, M.Ed., serves as a Vermont Technology Director and is licensed as a teacher, principal, and superintendent; she was honored with the Vita-Learn Frank Watson Lifetime Achievement Tech Award in 2020, ISTE GM AI Scholarship, and ISTE Member of the Month. She is the recipient of the ISTE 20 to Watch Award in 2022.
Her roles include being the past president of Vermont's ISTE affiliate and a longtime board member of VT ASCD. For over 20 years, she's presented at ISTE Vermont affiliate conferences and has presented at ISTE as recently as 2024. She teaches about technology through the Vermont State College System; she was part of the 2021-2022 AASA Howard University Urban Superintendent Cohort. Patricia is an ISTE Certified Educator who volunteers as an ISTE Community Leader, furthering her commitment to educational technology.

Course Schedule

Course Schedule:

Zoom: Intro to Course

• Overview of the Hardware and Materials, Assignments and Projects
• Develop ideas for classroom resources in participants' areas of study.
• Reading assignments and resources in the LMS

Week 1-3  Project 1-Label or Revamp Your Classroom

• Design a project (pick a material, create a design, product a sample, document the process with screencasts, photos, etc.)
• Reading assignments, videos, and writing in the LMS
• Create a video, Google Slide, or Doc to share your work—slideshows and docs should contain photos

Week 4-6 Project 2- Student Focused Project (pick a material, create a design, product a sample, document the process with screencasts, photos, etc.)

• Design a project
• Reading assignments, videos, and writing in the LMS
• Create a video, Google Slide, or Doc to share your work—slideshows and docs should contain photos

Required Readings/Resources:

Costs, if any, for required readings/resources are not included in the course tuition.

Cricut Machine, Tools & Materials. Everything You Need to Create Anything You Can International Society for Technology in Education. ", 2025

Hamilton, D., & Saunders, D. (2025, July 1). ISTELive 25: Today's makerspaces blend advanced technology with basic materials. EdTech Magazine: Focus on K-

https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2025/07/istelive-25-todays-makerspaces-blend-advanced-technology-basic-materials

Krueger, N. (n.d.). 4 maker activities to keep students tinkering. ISTE. https://iste.org/blog/4-maker-activities-to-keep-students-tinkering

Ms. Campbell Teach. (2025, April 18). Cricut in the Classroom, Creative Projects for Teachers, Easy Cricut Tutorial [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzECJzIecZ8

For additional course information

Patricia Aigner
(802) 683-5060

For additional registration information

Center for Schools Team
(802) 468-1325

Register for Section 1 (June 20) Now!!

Register for Section 2 (August 01) Now!!