Enabling New Forms to Learn the Skills for the Future
A summary of the Second Fab City Round Table
‘If you really harness local materials and local knowledge with modern ideas and a desire to innovate you can create powerful things’ — Orin Hardy (Bamboo University)
Fab City Foundation organized its second roundtable discussion of 2022, in June, on the topic of ‘New forms of learning’ which is related to Layer 2 of the Fab City Full Stack. The discussion presented an overview of distributed learning programs and insights in the form of expert talks from Bamboo U, Emerging Public Leaders, Fab Academy programs, and the Master in Design for Distributed Innovation (MDDI) — organized by Fab City Foundation and IAAC. Fab City is providing global and advanced knowledge linked to local needs that allows students to access accreditation without moving across the world through the MDDI program. Another event highlight was the introduction of MDDI nodes to the Fab City community. The event aimed at equipping cities with the knowledge to adopt new forms of learning. It promoted the importance of, and how cities can benefit from, globally distributed learning programs and, finally, it stimulated synergies between their individual efforts towards implementing the MDDI program in their local communities.
These are insights gathered from expert talks at the event.
Bamboo University is Inspiring People with Bamboo — Orin Hardy
Bamboo University (Bamboo U), presented by Orin Hardy (Director of Bamboo University, Bali), is bringing young professionals and changemakers around the world together to create a future we want to live in using bamboo. The project adopts a hands-on learning methodology coupled with digital technology to unlock new ideas. Bamboo U is achieving this by educating people to rethink bamboo as a biodegradable material that can be useful in permanent construction within the modern context. Courses at the university follow a sustainable approach where students are taught to use natural materials properly. In a short period of 5 to 11 days, students are able to build intricate designs with little experience. Furthermore, students go on to apply the knowledge to bigger situations that impact cities. Orin believes that in the future, when we transition from using concrete and steel for urban development, bamboo will be instrumental.
Mobile Learning in a Post-Pandemic Era — Elizabeth Ofori
Emerging Public Leaders (EPL), presented by Elizabeth Ofori (Senior Program’s Associate, Emerging Public Leaders), moved in-person training to mobile learning due to the restrictions instituted by the government of Ghana during the pandemic. Elizabeth narrated that she sees digital learning as processing data with the help of technology and new ways of learning to produce new results. According to Elizabeth, EPL provides learning opportunities without needing internet connectivity using USSD codes in Ghana. Since EPL’s inception in 2016, the organization has been contributing to improving the performance of the government sector in Ghana. Through the 2-year Public Service Fellowship model implemented by EPL, recent graduates are nurtured to enter the civil service at the federal level and benefit from a support system that includes mentorship, monthly responsive training and networks needed to thrive in government bureaucratic systems.
Fab Academy — Santi Fuentemilla
The Fab Academy, presented by Santi Fuentemilla (Future Learning Lead and Fab Academy Instructor at Fab Lab Barcelona), is a 20-week crash course to teach how to make almost everything based on a distributed educational model that has been prototyped for 10 years using an idea from Neil Gershenfeld(father of Fab Labs). The structure of Fab Labs integrates remote learning and visits to physical infrastructure like Fab Labs and nodes to support local communities. The program provides a wide range of topics, such as design, 3D printing, fabrication and production processes, and communication protocols. The Fab Academy vision is to promote Fab Literacy, including design thinking, creativity, sustainability, and resilience. The program culminates in a final year project contextualized to students’ local communities. It facilitates the creation of open source tools, protocols and new circular approaches for growing food within cities. The ultimate goal of the Fab Academy is to distribute knowledge and empower communities to make almost everything.
Developing Global Leaders through Fab City Distributed Learning — Tomas Vivanco
The Fab City Foundation, presented by Tomas Vivanco (Distributed Learning Lead, Fab City Foundation), is establishing the Fab City Distributed Learning Platform that addresses three main questions predicated on the Fab City Full Stack: How do we design? Where do we design? And why do we design? The platform will provide interconnectivity between cities, as well as contribute to the transition from a linear production model to a circular one. In this scenario, it is possible to envision regenerative futures for productive cities that can keep atoms on a local scale in their bioregions and move bits of information on a planetary scale. As a result, the platform will also interconnect different impact areas — creative industry, innovation, new and sustainable entrepreneurship, and educational models with municipalities.
To modify the current production model, it is necessary to determine how knowledge transitions and is being distributed. In this context, the distributed knowledge platform is based on five learning taxonomies where current citizens implement new concepts and then emerge as change makers. The first ambitious yet innovative program that implements these guidelines proposed by Fab City is the Master in Design for Distributed Innovation (MDDI).
MDDI is a distributed learning program focused on the intersection of design, technology, ecosystems and communities to improve interspecies wellbeing. MDDI connects a global community of change-makers with local innovators in order to address complex challenges. It combines online and in-person learning to support innovators to gain the social and technical skills needed to develop projects for positive impact with their own communities that aim for measurable transformational change towards planetary consciousness. It allows students and tutors to interact from anywhere in the world and across different time zones. With 12,269 Fab Labs from 69 countries, students will also be able to apply the knowledge acquired in their local communities by affiliating with a Fab Lab. With this approach, knowledge and techniques are decentralized for all regions to benefit.
- MDDI Program for Global Changemakers
The MDDI program focuses on the Fab City Full Stack and is supported by three principles: Technology, Communities and Ecosystems. The program is designed to train changemakers who can access and apply global knowledge in their local context. Learn the varied opportunities the MDDI program presents here. Make sure to also check this blog post by Tomas Vivanco, co-director of MDDI.
The MDDI program has recently connected six nodes to join the first cycle of this adventurous program. In this round table, representatives from some nodes — Montreal (Monique Chartrand), Shanghai (Jeff Bing) and Santiago de Chile (Joaquin Gonzalez) — shared their experiences at their host organizations and their expectations of the program. They hope to form great collaborations, access global knowledge to solve local problems and discover new ways of building communities through their participation.
MDDI is delivered by the Fab City Foundation and Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia and an international team of expert faculty. It is co-directed by Tomas Vivanco and Tomas Diez. This article follows on from two earlier articles, one by Tomas Diez (Fab City as a Distributed Learning Space), and the second by Tomas Vivanco (Master in Distributed Design and Innovation).
Contact josefina@fab.city to know more about the MDDI program.
Key Takeaways
Layer 2 of the Fab City Full Stack framework is supporting the transition toward a new productive urban model where practical learning methods merged with digital fabrication tools is an essential layer to develop ideas for transformational and sustainable global solutions. Gradually, barriers to accessing advanced and global knowledge are being lowered by the efforts of organizations like Fab City, Bamboo U, EPL and Fab Academy. New forms of learning as presented in this round table integrate remote and in-person learning. And in a short time, students are able to learn new knowledge and skills that link to local and global situations. This approach of learning in the modern context leaves no region behind.
Access this link to revisit the event.
The next Fab City Round Table will take place in September 2022. These discussions, which allow us to debate relevant and trending topics, are promoted by Fab City Foundation every three months. Looking forward to seeing you there!
