The New Jersey school that introduced a Fab Lab into its technology-driven learning model
Franklin School, an independent secondary school in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA, is giving students the freedom to chart their own educational journey by combining innovative learning methodologies that integrate technology and design in a state-of-the-art Fab Lab with personalised experiences to develop real-world readiness and empower learners as complex problem solvers. With a vision to reimagine education for the 21st century and move away from the assumption that children are too young to lead, the school turned to innovation to bridge the education gap caused by traditional subject silos by shifting to a model focused on skill development and applied learning, not just project-based learning.
The learning model, co-designed by the students themselves, centres around the Fab Lab, a space that integrates design across mathematics, English, and science, with students working on long-term, real-world projects where they are trusted to take the lead. Here they learn to code, fabricate prototypes, design robots, and train machine learning models. Through applied and experiential learning philosophies, learners gain experience in critical thinking, community-based and complex problem-solving, empathy and collaboration, empowering them to pursue their passions and take agency over their futures. A comprehensive academic care system ensures each student flourishes academically and emotionally. Franklin School prepares students to consistently achieve in an ever-changing world with this holistic approach, developing the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to become thoughtful innovators and impactful leaders.
The school has become a learning hub through this rigorous and innovative curriculum. Over the past three years, enrollment has doubled annually, reflecting strong family confidence in its forward-thinking model. Students have won global innovation challenges twice in a row and have been recognised internationally for cutting-edge technology applications. Student-led projects extend beyond competitions into the community, tackling challenges like eco-entrepreneurship and sustainability. Beyond its campus, the school offers teacher professional development for its own teachers as well as educators from other community schools, with external visitors often visiting the campus to learn from its teaching methodology.
By transforming the schooling experience into a space where innovation and academics hold equal weight and students feel trusted to take the lead, Franklin School has positioned itself as a launchpad for tomorrow's entrepreneurs.
