ROI supports nine school-based digital fabrication labs in the Indiana Uplands. With state-of-the-art equipment and instruction, these labs are developing a region of makers ready to excel in the next generation of advanced STEM careers.
In each lab, students have access to 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing, vinyl cutting, and microelectronics equipment to support experiential learning, prototyping, creativity, and problem-solving.
Students are given opportunities to develop adaptive learning skills at an accelerated pace as they use equipment to create functional solutions to problems. This holistic approach to learning provides students with more robust, meaningful, and transferable learning experiences.
High-Tech Equipment for Learning & Making
ROI’s digital fabrication labs utilize a model grounded in maker project-based learning (maker PBL). Students explore the engineering design process, coding, and programming integrated with academic content. This learning environment, where students are encouraged to iterate and fail forward, provides them with the modern workforce skills to succeed in their future careers.
Transformative Teaching
Successfully embedding digital fabrication labs in schools requires technical skills and a pedagogical framework that fosters a rich learning environment. Educators in the UpLabs Network received training throughout the implementation process, including how to integrate digital fabrication practices into academic content to deepen students’ learning.
Digital fabrication teams from each school used training experiences to develop a vision for implementing digital fabrication at their school that fits the local community’s context and character. These teams have become a robust network of educators working together throughout the Uplands region to reimagine education through making.
For more information on UpLabs, contact Emily Menkedick at emily@regionalopportunityinc.org or (812) 287-8116 ext. 110.