Bellevue College Welcomes James Riggall

On September 22nd, 2017 staff from Bellevue College’s RISE Institute, Learning Media Center, Faculty Commons, and eLearning Center met in the recently completed RISE labs to welcome Fulbright scholar James Riggall.

Members of RISE, Learning Media Center, Faculty Commons and eLearning Center welcome Fulbright Scholar James Riggall
Bellevue College welcomes Fulbright scholar James Riggall. Photo credit: Gordon Hom

James Riggall Brings Makerspace Experience to Bellevue College

Over the past six years, James Riggall has developed a number of community-based makerspaces in Launceston and Hobart Tasmania.  The goal of these makerspaces is to provide a place where students of all ages can develop hands-on projects under the mentorship of experienced tutors.  These can be considered as informal learning environments that not only teach through hands-on projects but provide a service to the wider community in Tasmania.

These makerspaces are given logistical support from organizations such as BitLink, Innovation Circle, Enterprize, StartUp Tasmania and the TasCatalyst Project.  As one of the goals of his Fulbright scholarship, Riggall intends to contribute his entrepreneurial startup and makerspace experience to help kickstart a hands-on, project based educational community at Bellevue College.

Bellevue College Makerspace Movers and Shakers

In 2015 efforts were initiated by Gita Bangera, Interim Vice President of Instruction and Vivienne McClendon, Dean of the Library Media Center to create a Collaboratory space in the Bellevue College library.  This “noisy” section of the library is dedicated to live and streaming presentations, courses, team projects, and panel discussions.

Collaboratory space photo
Collaboratory space located in the Bellevue College library

The Collaboratory is supported by several key organizations on campus that share a common cross-disciplinary cooperative culture.  These include the Library Media Center Collaboratory, RISE Learning Institute, Faculty Commons, and the eLearning Center.

Collaboratory and support organizations diagram
Diagram showing relationship between Collaboratory and key cooperative organizations at Bellevue College.

Michael Reese, director of the RISE Institute recently opened the RISE lab, which provides a variety of project-based makerspaces to support student hands-on learning.

RISE makerspace lab
RISE makerspace lab, opened in September, 2017. Photo credit: Gordon Hom

 

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