The Makerspace Grant: Adding Innovation into the Classroom by Harshita Dhiman and Katelin Pietrusinsk, Department of Career and Experiential Learning

Cooperative education is a form of experiential learning where students alternate their semesters of study with related professional experience. Co-op 1000 is a pre-requisite course in the co-operative education program. Students learn career management strategies to form correlations between their skill set and the professional work environment.

In the spirit of experiential learning, Harshita Dhiman and Katelin Pietrusinski, faculty of the Career and Experiential Learning department, embarked on an exciting adventure that combined education and innovation. Their journey began with a visit to the Makerspace, where they explored the available tools and initiated discussions with Franklin Sayre, the Makerspace Librarian about potential collaborations and submitting a grant application.

In March, they received the funding to integrate the Makerspace as an experiential learning platform into their cross disciplinary Co-op 1000 classes. This project was designed to help students practice transferable skills, such as communication, team building, and problem solving. They hired two research assistants who had experience with the Makerspace to support the class instructors in bridging research and practical experience.

In the first class of the Winter 2023 semester, students took tours with their groups to learn about and explore the Makerspace. They accessed the Makerspace tools to create a prototype networking product, and in the final class of the semester, students showcased their products to their peers, Career and Experiential Learning department members and Franklin. To add an element of fun and competition, the audience, including the students and guests, voted for the winning group project.

The students’ presentations focused on product description, networking usage, and the product creation process, all of which contributed to the development of their transferable skills. The presentations highlighted both the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary teamwork. Students showed their growth in their development of essential skills such as collaboration, leadership, and their understanding of the value of experiential learning. The project left a lasting impression; those students who experienced the Makerspace intervention activities expressed gratitude for this unique opportunity.

This journey was about more than just a classroom project; it was a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and experiential learning. Through this project and the support of the Makerspace, both Harshita and Katelin’s classes were able to integrate in an innovative way the practice of hands-on learning within their curriculum.