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’s Innovative Work featured in The Blue Review
May 9, 2013 by
Leslie Madsen-Brooks featured the long history of innovative work coming out of UMW’s Division of Teaching and Learning Technology in her article “Beyond Disruption” for The Blue Review. Below is a somewhat extensive quote from the article: Those who have been paying attention only to partnerships among Silicon Valley companies and the Ivies may be surprised that the beating heart of a tremendous amount of academic technology innovation is a small state university in Fredericksburg, Virginia. At theUniversity of Mary Washington, the Division of Teaching and Learning Technology has launched at least four amazing initiatives that should be replicated widely because it’s clear to even casual observers that they advance teaching and learning in myriad ways. For one, evidence of student learning appears on the open web, and I encourage you to check out the current blogs developed for courses. Faculty, too—and I know this from first-hand experience—benefit from knowing what … [Read more...]
UMW’s ThinkLab Makerspace featured in EDUCAUSE
May 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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...]