Creative Pool

[karstenj]

I like to discuss my contribution at fab6 conference.

Creative-Pool is the working title for an exchange platform for potential teachers or instructors who work with or in Fab Labs and who would want to share their expertise with other labs.
Creative-Pool is the idea, to build up and to make visible the atmosphere of know-how around fablab by displaying the individual expertise also of independent freelancers, who are interrested in the idea of FabLab.

It should be an invitation, to create workshops, driven by own motivation. They have a variety of choices , they can do seminars, workshops, contests and so on.

The platform should give an overview on a special homepage for potential FabLab-Costumers, Instructors, FabLab-Managers and all other interrested groups.
The platform would allow Fab Labs to invite instructors to give a certain course or workshop.

Main goals:

-integrate, utilize and distribute internal and external individual expertise
-to bring forward collaboration inbetween different disciplines and cultures
-to bring forward collaboration within the FabLab-community and making profit out of it
-strengthen up the position of each FabLab in its local economy
-making visible the „cultural-atmosphere“ around FabLab

Karsten Joost

[Jaap]

I'm very interested in this idea.

In the Mobile Fab Lab, one of the main problems we're facing is how to present Fab! in different settings, without repeating the same introduction talk all the time. Most stationary Fab Labs might not have this problem, since they have a steady group of visitors that already have project they work on. Their work in progress gives novices a hint of how you can use the tools (or toys) of the Fab Lab.

With "introduction talks" there is a high risk of creating the traditional teacher-student relation that I would like to avoid. Fab Labs should invite people to tinker, play with the machines and while doing so, discover the joy of personal fabrication. Inviting experts from different fields, using the Fab Lab as the stage for their workshop, could be an inspiring way to do this.

[Betty@cucfl]

This is a great idea! I hope I can add something. Just brought a group of graduate students to the fab lab here in champaign illinois. They were asked to build a small robot kit and reflect on their experience. We have been resting about taylor's scientific management and assembly lines. This trip to the fab lab was hoped to give them experience making something with their hands. If anyone wants to know more I'll be glad to discuss it.