Fab-in-a-Box: Making STEM learning more accessible

The 21st-century workforce demands flexibility, adaptability, and digital literacy. Access to and the ability to use 3D digital design platforms, digital fabrication tools, and computer programming are essential skills for students to develop. However, too often and for too many, these tools remain expensive and therefore out of reach for most students and educators, hindering the development of critical Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills.

With its innovative Fab-in-a-Box project, the Fab Foundation, a global leading advocate for digital fabrication education, is tackling the challenge of how to engage broader populations of students in STEM and support educators in amplifying STEM learning in classrooms and informal learning environments such as museums, community centers and libraries. 

The concept is simple: developed in collaboration with MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms and with the support of La Fondation Dassault Systèmes in the US, Fab-in-a-Box aims to provide schools and educators with a compact, low-cost Fab Lab starter kit specifically designed for educational use, as a means to accelerate STEM learning.

This Fab-in-a-Box “micro lab” kit includes a customized cart that contains everything needed to introduce students aged 10 to 18 years old to digital fabrication: an off-the-shelf 3D printer, 40W diode laser cutter, smoke purifier, vinyl cutter, control computer, and a starter kit of sustainable materials. It also comes with a curricular content consisting of 10 activities scalable for three different engagement levels: exposure, exploration, and deep dive. It allows educators across a variety of settings to scale the lessons for their contexts, based on the time they have available, the ability of their audience and the learning stage regardless of age. Each activity comes with facilitator guides, video tutorials, and assessment tools to empower educators and ensure a smooth learning experience for students. The activities intentionally introduce a range of fabrication techniques and machines, often in combination.

The initial rollout of Fab-in-a-Box is currently underway at 10 pilot sites across the US. Data collected from these programs will be used to refine the curriculum and ensure its effectiveness in diverse educational settings. Following a successful pilot phase, the Fab Foundation envisions large-scale implementation in schools, summer camps, museums, libraries, and community centers, bringing the power of digital fabrication to a wider audience.

Fab-in-a-Box supports inclusivity by ensuring that economically-disadvantaged students from underserved communities have equitable access to these resources that will allow them to not only build STEM competencies but also to gain soft skills through project-based learning, preparing them for post-secondary education and careers.

Adopted by all United Nations member states, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. La Fondation Dassault Systèmes supports the Fab Foundation and the Fab-in-a-Box project in meeting four of these goals: Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Reduced Inequalities and Partnerships for the Goals.