Redesigning Traditional Education

Digital fabrication should be introduced in all schools to support and complement traditional education and enable the young generation to learn the skills required to thrive in the digital era. The hands-on experience favored by FabLabs is a powerful medium to trigger interest in learning not only digital skills, but also problem solving, creativity, collaboration and other important skills for the 21st century. Investing in education is—as it has always been—the most valuable means to promote inclusive and equal development in our society and to remain assured that citizens do not feel threatened, but rather empowered, by the radical change we are seeing in our economy. However, the right policy framework needs to be in place and these solutions must not remain confined to a few affluent schools. The time to act is now if in order to prepare the next generation for a new digital reality and to avoid increasing the level of digital inequality.