Join Fab Learning Academy 2024

Craft the Future of Global Education

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As the Fab Lab Network continues to grow around the world, Fab Labs and digital makerspaces are being incorporated into learning environments at an increased rate. Along with them comes the need for comprehensive educator training to fully unlock the technology’s potential. And these training programs must be designed to teach more than the simple operation and use of equipment, giving full consideration to the unique circumstances that educators and students face. Fab Learning Academy (FLA) was created specifically to address this concern.

Part of the Academany education portfolio, FLA is a global certification program for educators using digital fabrication technologies in K-12 settings. Formal and informal educators, pre-service teachers, and administrators are invited to explore how advanced manufacturing methodologies can support learning across any school subject. This approach isn’t designed to teach students about technology; rather, it emphasizes the use of technology to teach students about the world around them.

The curriculum focuses on three domains of support for educators: Technology, Innovative Practices, and the Science of Learning.

As education embraces technology, we must work to cultivate a generation of learners who are proficient in both traditional subjects and the tools and practices that define the digital era. By fostering digital literacy, coding skills, design thinking, sustainability awareness, digital fabrication, and a keen sense of safety, educators can empower students to thrive in a technologically advanced and interconnected world.

Innovative education practices contribute to a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. By integrating maker-centered projects, emphasizing STEAM concepts, promoting inclusive design experiences, ensuring equitable access, incorporating skills frameworks, and cultivating a Fab and Maker mindset, educators can prepare learners for the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world.

The science of learning serves as a guiding beacon for educators, encompassing cognitive processes, emotional intelligence, pedagogical theories, research practices, assessment strategies, and cultural considerations. By embracing these concepts, educators can empower students to become curious, dynamic, and lifelong learners.

Key Program Features

With FLA’s distributed education model, educators around the world participate via local Learning Nodes with peers, mentors, and machines for the hands-on technology projects while connecting virtually for global masterclasses focused on pedagogy and best practices for working with students. Virtual classes and in-person lab sessions are conducted in English.

Global Certification: FLA’s primary objective is to globally certify educators in the art of teaching with digital fabrication tools. This certification program ensures that educators are well-prepared to integrate cutting-edge technology into their teaching methodologies.

Localized Fab Labs: FLA collaborates with localized Fab Labs situated in various regions around the world. These partnerships enable the program to offer hands-on projects and in-class interventions to educators within those areas. This approach offers educators direct access to resources and support in their own communities.

Collaborative Learning: FLA’s approach to education is highly collaborative. Educators participating in the program engage in synchronous learning experiences with a large global cohort. This global community fosters a sense of connection, shared learning, and exchange of ideas among participants from diverse backgrounds and regions.

Expert Assessment: To earn their certification, educators are required to complete field activities documentation, develop lesson plans, and execute interventions. These submissions are assessed by a local and global faculty of experts. This assessment requires that educators demonstrate a high level of proficiency and understanding regarding the use of digital fabrication tools in an educational context.

Applications Now Open!

Want to enhance your expertise in digital fabrication and join a global community of forward-thinking educators? Enroll in the Fab Learning Academy 2024 cohort. Additional program information and participant application can be found here.

All applications must be submitted by August 25, 2024.