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PROJECT: |
Demonstration “Fab Lab” for Galapagos students and science teachers |
PARTNERS: |
Fundación Scalesia and Dalio Family Foundation |
STATUS: |
Final design and preparation for construction as of January 2018 |
Overview
The Tomás de Berlanga School, operated by the Fundación Scalesia, provides bilingual education with an environmental and leadership focus to over 200 students. The school also serves as a training ground for all public school teachers on Santa Cruz Island and an example of best practices in action. One of its greatest infrastructure needs has been a science lab to teach TdB School students and to conduct professional development for public school science teachers.
The Fab Lab approach
Our science advisors encouraged us to follow the Fab Lab approach, which calls for a flexible workshop atmosphere that can be configured for more traditional chemistry and phyiscs instruction, but then easilly reconfigured for robotics and other cutting-edge scientific investigation and engineering projects.
Characteristics of the TdB School’s Fab Lab include:
- Maximized floor space. The facility will provide a core work area suitable for teaching/training 25-30 teenagers or adults. There will be a large storage area at one end of the building and no other interior divisions.
- A sizable roofed porch/extention will be available for activities that are best done outside (spray painting, for example).
- Lots of skinks. A bank of 6-8 sinks will line one wall and will be constructed and spaced in a way that movable work tables can be located perpendicularly for chemistry work.
- Essential equipment and tools. For biology and chemisty, we will need the traditional equipment (glasswear, scales, microscopes, etc.). For the robotics and engineering, we need hand tools, some power tools, and considerable storage space.
- Other basic characteristics. The facility will have lots of electrical outlets (floor, walls, overhead) and easy access to safety gear. We will also ensure effective projection capacity (whiteboard in an area that can be easily darkened).
The facility will be designed in a way that makes maxiumum use of natural light and ventilation, and appropriate building materials.
Current Donors
Funding for this project comes from the Dalio Family Foundation, Randall and Sally Knight, and the Pistell Family Foundation.
Current Needs
Additional funding is needed for:
- Scientific and engineering equipment
- Hand and power tools
- Computers
For more information, please send us an email.
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