UW-Stout is working on an online portal that will enable the sharing of resources between Wisconsin school districts with digital fabrication laboratories, or “fab labs.”
The site is being developed with the aim of improving collaboration, allowing teachers and students alike to connect on curriculum ideas, equipment troubleshooting, and strategies for engaging community and business.
“We recognize that having all these fab labs getting started, there’s a benefit to pulling together resources and having access points for teachers,” said Randall Hulke, executive director of UW-Stout’s Discovery Center and head of the development effort for the site. “So many districts are getting funding; in many cases, there’s only one or two teachers in the district who are responsible for getting it running.”
WEDC is pitching in $63,000 to support the creation of the web portal and to help develop curricular support and professional development for teachers. The agency is set to give out even more money for fab labs to 21 public school districts throughout the state.
See more at WisBusiness.com