Network Meeting Thursday with FabLab4school at University of Oulu

Network Meeting Thursday 16.11.2017 at 16.00-18.00
Scandic Hotel Grand Marina, Helsinki

On Thursday we had a meeting with Iván Sánchez Milara, Research Scientist. PhD Candidate from University of Oulu, a leader of Finnish FabLab4School -project in Fab Lab Oulu. 

Fab Lab4School is a small project lead by Center for Ubiquitous Computing at University of Oulu. It aims to make University of Oulu’s Fab Lab known by all schools and high schools in Oulu area. At long run we plan to create a community among school teachers, pupils and university researchers around the Fab Lab and attract new students to our technical faculties. (http://fablab4school.fi/)

Iván described the background of the project and Fab Lab Oulu. Initial idea has been to support university students in different courses but also focus on earlier levels, to bring pupils and students to Fab Lab, familiarize them with the concept, and get good student applicants for the fields of technology and science.

So far, the main topics used in FabLab⁴School learning activities have been 1. design of quick prototyping, 2. electronics, 3. 2D/ 3D-designing, and 4. embedded programming (Arduino).

However, since teachers are the ones who have the pedagogical skills, and know how to create learning activities and assess the outcomes, there is a need to focus on and train teachers.

Claus Skjøth Nicolaisen, Learning Advisor from FabLab Spinderihallerne reminded always to think about the project for a longer space of time – not only how is it right now but what would we like it to be in next five years.

Hanne Voldborg Andersen, National Coordinator of FabLab@SCHOOLdk pointed out another important aspect – “you cannot change the behavior, you have to change the believe in” meaning, that what ever we do, we need support to do it. In the case of applying Fab Lab for schools and developing education we, necessarily, need the support of our municipality. If it has to be fight about the believes, then it is not going to happen.

We had a short discussion about so-called Mobile-Fab Labs also, and it seemed to be nice idea for offering possibilities for a bigger number of pupils and people to experience digital fabrication activities. However, it has experienced having its faults as well. For pupils it can be two fantastic weeks or months but then it’s all gone, and for teachers, they can feel even “why even bother and use your spare time for that because it will go away anyway”.

Thomas Lauenborg, Teacher at Vonsild school in Kolding raised a faced issue, how to make also (other) teachers to believe this is the future, being one of the biggest topics there is a need to work on. Ole Kjær Thomasen from Fab Lab Silkeborg went along with him by the concern, how to spread the interest in to those “not fablabbers” and make sure that the competencies will be equal, since we are going to see this as a subject for everyone. At the moment, it is evident that instead of being producers, people are still more like users – they have iPads and other devices to consume but – the great understanding of technologies is lacking.

So, it is not about the technologies but the believe, which you cannot change instantly but you might have to work for believe, for a mindset and a new way of thinking, for a long time. Therefore, it was suggested to start rather by only a little and very few technologies but make it last. Because, teachers make the decision so in the end, it’s not the technologies but educating the teachers, and small steps to make teachers think that this is something for me. Thus, instead of buying all the machines and stuff, we rather should use our resources for educating teachers.

We may have to think carefully what are the technologies for learning, how to use technologies not in the sense of technologies themselves but for a pedagogy and, how to train teachers for applying and using technologies appropriately. Remarkable is, that it can be dangerous to make the very technology skilled guy responsible of these processes, it can even increase the gap inside the school. Instead, it might be good idea to find a person who is dedicate for making this, and sharing with colleagues what has taught and learned. Thus, it is not chance making to educate the one who already have the skills but, have to find the one who doesn’t but is interested in to learn and share!

Fab Labs grow when they create the community

Iván introduced us also FabLat Kids ( http://fablatkids.org/ ) from South America (all around South America, but mainly in Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Mexico), where similar ‘Fab Lab activities’ are carried out as after school activities. In there they can collaborate and do same activities in different countries at the same time.

People in Oulu are willing to create similar international collaboration between Nordic countries. As a concrete outcome of the meeting, we will contact and present the idea in the faculties at University of Oulu and for City of Oulu.

Take the long-term strategy – but also take the first stage step

In parallel, we would like to make a small pioneer project for two-three schools from both countries FIN and DK as a start point, using eTwinning as a platform of collaboration.

By Kati Pitkänen