UVU’s Creative Learning Studio was nationally recognized for innovation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and University Beacon Newsletter in the equity category.
Started in 2017 by Dr. Krista Ruggles, associate professor of elementary education at UVU, and Dr. Suzy Cox, the director of Innovative Learning for the Provo City School District, the Creative Learning Studio saw the necessity for harmony in how STEM subjects are presented to students.
“We hope this will help other universities see the impact of creating innovative and engaging spaces that can be utilized for a variety of purposes,” said Ruggles.
The Creative Learning Studio is a program that supports UVU students who are currently enrolled in elementary and secondary education programs, teaching future educators how to utilize and unite technology. It is a space where students can gather and learn “how to teach and learn in a creative and dynamic environment.” During the summer, the Creative Learning Studio runs two engineering design camps for elementary students and a lending library where teachers and students can borrow materials connected to STEM projects.
According to Ruggles, the Creative Learning Studio is gathering opportunities for Utah students to pursue an education in teaching STEM fields. With several UVU grants and donations, the Studio has impacted the lives of over 1,500 education majors thus far and will continue to pursue new projects and growth in 2023. The Studio encourages educators throughout the nation to empower their own education majors, as well as provide more easily accessible resources for creating innovative learning spaces.
“We hope to continue to expand our reach and include more faculty in innovative projects that provide equitable experiences for our UVU students and K-12 partners,” Ruggles said.
Students can access the lending library and more information about professional workshops on the Creative Learning Studio’s website at https://www.uvu.edu/education/creative-learning/. For any further inquiries, please contact them at creativelearning@uvu.edu, or connect with them on Twitter @UVUCreative, Facebook, or Instagram @UVUCreativeLearning.
