2015-2016 fox chapel area school district state of the schools
Fab Lab Opens Opportunities to Dream, Design, and Create
The newly-created, state-of-the-art Fab Lab at the high school opened for operation. The MITcertified Fab Lab, one of only a few in the nation, is dedicated to digital fabrication and includes a 3D printer, laser cutters, CNC machines, laser engravers, and vinyl cutters. Students from a cross-section of content areas are learning in the Fab Lab, promoting multidisciplinary experiences and hands-on, projectbased learning.
High school technology education teachers Mitch Palucis and Justin Papariello serve as the Fab Lab coordinators. Students have the opportunity to research, design, plan, and manufacture“ almost anything” in the Fab Lab – which totally reinvents traditional technology education and promotes multidisciplinary learning. Students experience learning that includes lessons in science, math, language arts, computer science, and art concepts as they research, plan, and complete projects.
In March, the district, in partnership with the Pittsburgh FAB Network and made possible through a grant from The Grable Foundation, hosted nearly 150 educators from across the nation to showcase the Fab Lab. Teachers and administrators who participated were immersed in a full-day session that explored both the fabrication equipment as well as the Fab curriculum.
Director of Innovation Reinvents Technology Education in District
If you google search terms like deeper learning and maker schools, Megan Cicconi’ s name will likely pop up as a national leader in the movement to create maker education and encourage deeper learning. Mrs. Cicconi began her appointment as director of instructional and innovative leadership in March. In that short time, she has already transformed how Fox Chapel Area students experience learning. She has been instrumental in the success of the Fab Lab, the district’ s involvement in maker education, and the enhancement of computer science education. All of these are multidisciplinary, project-based learning experiences that encourage deeper learning. Mrs. Cicconi says,“ At Fox Chapel Area, innovative thinking doesn’ t detract from core subject areas, it complements and strengthens them.”
Computer Science, Making, and the Fab Lab all use a projectbased learning environment that encourages deeper learning.
Kerr Elementary School second graders visited the Fab Lab on a special field trip where they made tool boxes and screen-printed T-shirts.
Teachers and administrators from around the nation learned from Fox Chapel Area Fab Lab experts – the experts were both teachers and high school students – at the Fab Con.
Fox Chapel Area | Fall 2016 | icmags. com 15