The innovative ThinkLab Makerspace in the Simpson Library of UMW has been featured in the latest publication from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative's 7 Things series on rapid innovation. UMW is cited alongside Stanford, Rutgers, and Case Westerns among other institutions for recognizing early on the importance of makerspaces as a way to inspire self-directed and hands-on learning using emerging technologies like 3D printing, robotics, and e-textiles. DTLT and UMW's work has been featured in past issues of the 7 Things series on a variety of topics including MOOCs, Wordpress, and 3D Printing technology. The full paper can be found on the EDUCAUSE website in PDF and ePub format. … [Read more...]
DTLT Projects Featured in 2013 Horizon Report
February 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The 2013 NMC Horizon Report for Higher Education, a publication that identifies technologies likely to have an impact on learning, has featured not one but two separate projects born out of the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies. Referencing Massive Open Online Courses as a development likely to be adopted in one year or less, the work of ds106, the open digital storytelling course at UMW, is cited as an example of early experimentation in this space. Under a section on 3D printing technology, the work of Tim Owens and George Meadows on the ThinkLab in the Simpson Library is featured as an example of work that is incorporating this technology into course curriculum. The full report can be downloaded at the NMC website here. … [Read more...]
24 Hour Hackathon
November 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On Friday, November 16th at 5pm we will kick off our first 24-hour Hackathon in the ThinkLab. If you’ve got a pet project you’ve wanted to work on and didn’t have the tools or knowledge to make it happen make plans to stop by and spend some time at the event. We will have some larger projects going on including building a new 3D printer and a CNC Mill. There will be free pizza and drinks (and maybe pancakes in the morning). We often get asked how students can use the space if they’re not a part of a class that is making use of it. This is your chance! If students want to start a club to meet regularly in the space and get access anytime the library is open this is the perfect opportunity to organize that. If this event is successful we’ll do it again in the Spring. So put it on your calendar and make plans to come! … [Read more...]
3D Printing: Another ELI 7 Things for UMW’s DTLT
July 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
In this month’s edition of ELI’s 7 Things Series they feature 3D Printing, and thanks to the awesome work of Tim Owens and George Meadows UMW is featured prominently. Tim and George have been experimenting wildly with 3D printing over the last academic year, and 2 Thing-0-Matics, 1 printer bot, and a recently acquired Replicator later they’re all but ready to teach their Freshman Seminar on Makerbots and Mashups this Fall. Tim has been chronicling their work on UMW Blogs here, and what’s truly amazing about 3D Printing is how immediately it both amazes and inspires anyone who comes within range its imaginative tractor beam. They’re nothing short of hypnotizing to watch in real time, add to that the conceptual and real possibilities of how science and technology is changing the world of industry as we understand it and you have a realm of edtech that we have only just begun to explore. What’s more, it’s finally cheap enough for any institution to experiment with. Mike Wesch was … [Read more...]