My team and I are responsible for student training and production in a large university fabrication studio. Thanks to a UT Center for Teaching and Learning grant, we redesigned a required course to incentivise peer-to-peer learning. I designed a blended learning pathway that integrated Badgr, Panopto, Trello, and Qualtrics into Canvas LMS — we call it the Fabrication Portal.
Learning with professional tools and construction materials requires students to take real risks and to remain attentive to their own safety and those around them. This environment of shared risk naturally incentivizes peer-to-peer learning. We strengthened this learning environment by hiring students for on-camera and content development roles for video modules. This approach modeled peer learning on-line before students entered the lab in person. Once in the lab, our experienced students provided a majority of the hands-on training as well.
This student-authored experience engendered a shared responsibility for learning and offered students opportunities to practice habits associated with career readiness. Initially, these modules were designed for a single course with 12 students. After testing, we shared the modules with instructors outside the major. By the end of the year, 280 students had used at least one module to supplement their learning in eight separate courses.
learning design | Canvas LMS | community of practice | videography
August 2021