1. Lighting Bridges Through Collaborative Spaces
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Annual Conference: “Educational Effectiveness through Accreditation”
Paula L. S. Rees
Director of Diversity Programs
College of Engineering, UMass Amherst
December 8, 2016
College of Engineering

2. Overview The allure and promise
UMass Amherst Engineering’s blended & collaborative approach
Departmental spaces
Courses
“Town-Gown” initiatives
Motivations
Looking forward
College of Engineering

3. Allure and Promise Work-life model of youth (neoliberal economy)
The “Maker” movement represents:
A logical extension or synthesis of current trends in education
An emerging work-life model of youth (neoliberal economy)
What is the proper role in our formal versus informal learning environments?
The “Maker” movement represents a logical extension or synthesis of current trends in education
Active learning, problem based learning
Team based learning
Flipped classrooms
Community-service learning
Important component of education mission, as reflected in accreditation standards
Space where classroom knowledge transforms into practice
Retain “passion” for engineering through sequence of traditional rigorous courses
Enhance quality of teaching and learning
Work-life model of youth (neoliberal economy)
Constructing a living from many contingent relationships
Associated with "allure and promise" I might also include something about the current trends in our neoliberal economy, in which young people are trying to construct a living from many contingent relationships and the role a Maker community plays in helping people network, build connections, and engage in entrpreneurship.
College of Engineering

4. Our Approach: Departmental Spaces
Electrical & Computer Engineering
“M5” is an educational initiative of the department designed to provide new dimensions to the UMass Amherst ECE experience.
“M5” is an educational initiative of the department designed to provide new dimensions to the UMass Amherst ECE experience
Integrates laboratories, meeting rooms and a demilounge to support a broad range of individual and collaborative activities to advance technical experimentation, exploration, interaction and entrepreneurship
Supports
Classes (e.g., freshman lab, group mtgs, workshops)
Studio M5 (audio, video, photographic recording & production)
Café M5 (Technical talks)
Outreach (Senior Design Day, workshops)
Community building (student gathering, study space)
Spin-offs (other spaces, Hack-a-thon)
Student staff; Faculty lead (Baird Soules)
College of Engineering

5. Our Approach: Departmental Spaces
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
The Exploratorium and Innovation Makerspace are designed to facilitate student collaboration, professional development, and support both academic and personal projects.
Exploratorium
2500-sq-foot Computer Lab, teleconferencing, guest speaker, and meeting space
Funded by alumni donations
Innovation Makerspace
Student run initiative to provide space, tools and parts to work on explorational projects, enabling students to create, collaborate and innovate
Supports both academic and personal projects
3D printing services
College of Engineering

6. Our Approach: Courses 1-credit “Maker” courses
ECE 297 & 497 – Design Project
NRC 497MS Special Topics
Faculty lead courses
Meets once a week for 2 hours, P/F
NRC 497MS Special Topics
Applications in Do-it-Together, Environmental Monitoring Technologies
ECO, BIO, Publ. Policy, Architecture & Design
Building from town-gown initiative
To provide opportunities for students to
Pursue own interests around environmental monitoring
Learn the “Maker approach”
Participate in a ‘live’ online maker community around ‘open source science’ (PublicLab.org)
Learn through active, team-based, and flipped pedagogies
Work in interdisciplinary teams
Participate in town-gown ‘service learning’
Example Projects
Arduino-based air- and water-pollution monitors
OpenROV open source research submarine
Invasive plan species mapping with aerial photos
Aruduino based wildlife tracker
College of Engineering

7. Our Approach: Courses ECE 297B Queer Lights
A collaboration between Engineering, the Stonewall Center, and the Student Union Craft Center.
No prior experience with computers or electronics needed
Provides space for students from across campus to learn about and discuss contemporary LGBTQIA+ topics while learning how to make and program electronic lights
Projects are individual expressions of their LGBTQIA+ connections
Key: co-taught by experts in engineering and LGBTQIA+
A student from the class is now working with a weekly LGBTQIA+ support group to make light up buttons at CMASS
College of Engineering

8. Our Approach: Makers @ Amherst Media, Outreach
Drop in program
TV shows and showcases
“Maker Meetup” workshops
After school program
Goals
Forge a positive relationship with town of Amherst
Engage youth in STEM
Provide role models and pathways to STEM degrees
Retain u.g. students in STEM fields
Parallel training pathways
Interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurism
College of Engineering

9. Motivations: Engineering the future
University educational impact
Spaces
Students’ passion for engineering
Skills
K12 educational impact
Role models
Enrichment
Joy of exploration
Promoting diversity
Engagement
Discussion
University educational impact
Spaces where classroom knowledge transforms into practice
Retaining current students’ passion for engineering
Allowing students to demonstrate real-world design/build skills and use those skills to advance their careers after they graduate
K12 educational impact
Role models
What is engineering?
Enrichment of traditional curriculum
Joy of exploration
Diversity
College of Engineering

10. Looking forward University level Amherst Regional School District
Maker Saturdays (or Sundays)
Courses
Outreach
Amherst Regional School District
Help develop a “maker” course within their curriculum
Mentors
Amherst Media
Summer camp(s)
Workshops
Drop-in support
Campus is struggling HARD with diversity
College of Engineering

11. Looking forward
What is the proper balance - curriculum versus club house?
How do we create environments that are welcoming of all?
What are the key elements?
Where are we putting resources? Why?
Do town-gown making efforts make sense?
Are we doing any good? How do we know?
College of Engineering

12. Looking forward – Lighting Bridges
College of Engineering

13. Acknowledgements MIE and ECE Departments Dave McLaughlin (Engineering)
Charlie Schweik (ECO/Pub Policy)
Steve D. Brewer (Biology)
Christine Olson (Communications)
Amherst Media
Lots of students!