Add as a preferred source on Google

Mobile Fab Lab Brings "STEAM Education on the Go"

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 09/24/19

Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania debuted a new mobile fab lab that brings “STEAM education on the go.”

The mobile fab lab is a van equipped with the latest in science technology that will prepare students for the workforce. The lab’s first stop is at Seylar Elementary School where it will stay for a week and then move on to other elementary and middle schools in all 13 county school districts for week-long residencies.

Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania debuted a new mobile fab lab that brings “STEAM education on the go.”

The equipment is unloaded and placed in a cafeteria or gym for students and teachers to use. A designated specialist is assigned to the van and tailors age-appropriate curricula for each school utilizing the equipment.

Students can look forward to working with:

  • Two 3-D printers;
  • A silhouette portrait fabricator;
  • A vinyl cutter;
  • A computer numerical controller router;
  • A laser cutter; and
  • Various robotics equipment.

“The Mobile Fab Lab will support innovative teaching and learning in schools throughout all of Bucks County,” Bucks County IU Executive Director Mark Hoffman told a local newspaper. “Having a van that can move between schools allows the districts to bring cutting-edge, modern equipment directly to the students and their teachers. This helps to ensure that Bucks County schools are preparing young people today for the jobs they’ll hold tomorrow.”

The van was purchased and equipped using a $412,000 PAsmart grant from the state’s Department of Education.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • FAU Starts Construction on Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building

    Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • Pudu Robotics Launches AI-Powered, Large-Scale Floor Sweeper

    Pudu Robotics recently launched the newest member of its MT1 series of robotic floor sweepers, the PUDU MT1 Max, according to a news release. The AI-powered, 3D perception robotic sweeper was designed for use in large, complex cleaning environments both indoors and semi-outdoors, like parking garages and semi-open building atriums.

Digital Edition