Make Academy

Both the workplace and the participant must be motivated to take part in a development process. Throughout the programme, participants are expected to test, develop, and carry out activities within their own professional practice, as well as share and communicate their experiences locally and within the course.

Prior to the start of the course, both the participant and their manager will take part in an introductory meeting and a guided tour of FabLab Spinderihallerne.

As part of the programme, participants attend one teaching day per week at the central FabLab at Spinderihallerne. Shortly after the start of the course, an initial start‑up meeting is held between the participant, a representative from the workplace management, and the FabLab team.

This is followed by a final anchoring meeting at the end of the year, involving the participant, their manager, and the FabLab team, with a focus on local anchoring and further development.

We see a person who has completed the Make Academy as a design‑oriented, didactically and technically curious, and highly competent professional. They are motivated to explore new technologies and willing to incorporate them into innovative approaches to professional practice, and who:

• contribute to the development of the field of technological literacy
• are willing to participate in peer‑to‑peer learning alongside the FabLab team’s instructors
• build local networks with colleagues within their own practice
• seek inspiration for activities and develop learning programmes
• collaborate and engage in professional sparring with others on didactic considerations related to learning objectives, processes, and outcomes
• contribute to the planning and facilitation of workshops at their own workplace

• Introductory meeting for the participant and their manager
• Start‑up meetings at the beginning of the programme
• One working day per week for 30 weeks (Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, weeks 36 to 18)
• Anchoring meeting at the end of the course year

• Introductory meeting for managers and participants
• Preparation for and participation in start‑up and anchoring meetings

*We consider it an important part of the programme that a manager is involved in the course in order to ensure strong local anchoring. In special cases where it is not possible or relevant for a participant to have a manager involved, an individual solution can be arranged.

Introductory Meeting

• Participant (Pioneer): 2 hours
• Manager: 2 hours

Start of the Programme

• Participant (Pioneer): 1 day per week / 30 weeks
• Manager: 0 hours

Start‑up Meeting*

• Participant (Pioneer): 1–2 hours
• Manager: 1–2 hours

Anchoring Meeting

• Participant (Pioneer): 1–2 hours
• Manager: 1–2 hours

* Held on the participant’s training day at the central FabLab.

Course Content

The course content centres on maker technologies. When introducing new technologies and methods, the focus is not only on learning how to use them, but also on how to maintain, operate, and translate them into teaching practice.

Technologies covered during the course may include:

• 3D printing
• Laser cutting
• Vinyl cutting
• Embroidery machines
• CNC machining
• Vacuum forming
• Water jet cutting
• Micro:bit
• Makey Makey
• Arduino
• Block-based programming
• Text-based programming
• Machine learning
• AI – including both image and text generation

In addition, participants will continuously work with a shared core textbook, which forms the basis for discussions on:

• Didactics
• Approaches to learning
• Educational philosophy
• Technological literacy
• Design thinking

Participants are also expected to continuously carry out small learning loops and teaching activities within their own professional practice throughout the course.

This creates opportunities to experiment and gain hands-on experience, which we collectively reflect on and share during the course sessions.

We deliberately avoid a fixed, static annual plan, as both technologies and the field of technological literacy are constantly evolving. Moreover, we aim to provide each participant with as much flexibility as possible, allowing everyone to learn from their individual starting point.

As a result, the course is suitable for beginners, intermediate learners, and highly experienced participants alike.