3D Printing

During our second PBL task, our group had decided we would come up with a lesson that would incorporate digital technology to design and build a model to demonstrate how organs or components of body systems in the human body work and interact with other components.

Part of our group’s solution was to utilize 3D printers to achieve our learning goal. At first, I was a little skeptical. 3D printing? Why? Couldn’t we just use clay for our students to design their organs? Why spend money on these printers?

The first thing that came to mind was the many times I have heard professors at UOIT mentioning the incorrect use of technology. To me, it seemed that 3D printing was just a replacement tool, not a tool that would serve and fulfill a learning goal.

This year, we had the local public library come to our school to give a demonstration on 3D printing to our students (and us teachers). While I had heard about 3D printers, I never saw one in action. I was in awe. What surprised me even more was how accessible they were making 3D printing. Through the library’s website it was possible to access the program to design your object and place a printing order with a minimal cost. Kids could design trinkets and gifts, an even more useful objects such as phone cases.

While I was amused, amazed and thoroughly entertained, I did not stop and think in that particular moment about how I could integrate 3D printing into my own classroom. What I gathered in that 3D printing session was that 3D printing was up and coming and that it had a myriad of possible implementations for the future.

With this experience under my belt, it was no surprise that when my group suggested using the grant money in our PBL proposal for purchasing a 3D printer, I became apprehensive with the idea. I thought that it was a novel idea to get the organs printed, but not one that was worth investing thousands of dollars to purchase the printer itself. Why couldn’t we just use the local library’s services if we were going to use this device as a novelty tool?

As I expressed my thoughts to my group, one of my team members sent me an eye-opening article. It contained 7 reasons why every school should own a 3D printer. Some of the reasons I never considered included how 3D printers can ignite students’ imaginations and introduce them to modern additive manufacturing processes.

The fact is, 3D printing is “now an established industrial technology used for prototyping and manufacturing products and components across a range of industries. It already has applications in many areas of everyday life” (Department for Education, 2013). Having our students understand the application and potential of this technology can prepare them for their future and help them envision tomorrow’s world where this technology will be commonplace.

In addition, just as it was for me, the 3D printer is an automatic engagement factor: “The opportunity to realise a concept or idea quickly into a 3D product is an incredibly powerful teaching tool.”(Department for Education, 2013).

As is the case with every technological tool, how it is embedded within the curriculum and applied within the lesson’s learning goals is the most important factor for educators to consider. There are many ways in which 3D printing can enhance a lesson. It provides educators with the opportunity to create hands- on opportunities for their students and also enables students to develop spatial reasoning. The cross-curricular implementations are also a large part of the appeal in a classroom setting as students can see the real-life connections between math, science, physics and design.

The more I learned about 3D printers and their possible implementations, the more I become aware of the many ways I can incorporate their use in my classroom. The fact they are becoming more affordable is icing to the cake!

I am so glad I learned about 3D printing and its many uses in the realm of education. I am also glad I got to experience this through our PBL task. Once again I am shown the power and authenticity of these projects and how much students can learn from one another when given the opportunity to do so.

References

Department for Education. 3D printers in schools : Uses in the curriculum. (2013, October). Retrieved February 27, 2016, from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/251439/3D_printers_in_schools.pdf

Fisher, T. (n.d.). The Proffesional Practice of Educators. Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://3dprintingsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/EDP416-Assessment-2.pdf

Krassenstein, E. (2014, December 21). Why 3D Printing Needs to Take Off in Schools Around the World. Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://3dprint.com/27743/3d-printing-benefits-schools/

N/A. 3D Printers in the Classroom: 7 Reasons Why Every School Should Have a 3D Printer. (2013, February 27). Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://airwolf3d.com/2013/02/27/school-3d-printers-in-the-classroom/