One of the first workshops that we undertook as part of our collaboration with Atlantic Technological University Sligo under the Higher Education 4.0 Makerspace Project was a Christmas themed workshop with the transition year students in Lough Allen College in Drumkeeran, Co.Leitrim.
We brought the ATU Mobile Makerspace to the school and set up the lasercutter and the vacuum former to create some unique Christmassy products all designed and produced by the students themselves. Firstly we got them to brainstorm ideas for Christmas Tree ornaments with Snowmen and Snowflakes being a particular favourite as these looked fab laser cut from the glossy white acrylic sheets. The star prize had to go to the Christmas Gift Box design one student created from red acrylic. A real stunner!
The second activity got the students to create small laser cut objects to be vacuum formed which could then be used to create food safe moulds to make Christmas shaped chocolates. The students really got into the vacuum forming process and at least a half dozen chocolate moulds were made. Time pressure meant we didn’t get to make any chocs on the day but the students had something to bring along to their home economics classes the following week.
