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Quantifying the teaching & learning value of Fablabs

Richard Stobart

The Fablab concept was first put forward & tested by Dr Neil Gershenfeld at MIT. A Fablab ['fab' here being short for 'fabulous' or 'fabricator'] is a flexible environment for making and testing items that meet an explicit requirement brought along by a participant: The aim of this project is to implement such a lab on a small scale and test with pilot groups.

The notion is that by bringing together a compelling need and an environment that supports the making of working objects, a whole creative process is unleashed. This is undoubtedly the case. However, we need to understand more of how it works and how by using a Fablab we make our teaching and learning process more effective. We will build a small scale lab and evaluate it with a view to making it available to Product Design & Engineering for Society [e4s] students in 2006. A small pilot group will form the basis of an evaluation in 2005-2006. The methods and processes, the form of space, the machines used and materials will all help plan a full scale operation in which we have an understanding of the T & L process.

Read more about Fablab