3D PRINTING STUDENT INQUIRY

When I started at my new school this past year, one of the things that quickly caught my attention was the small black box sitting quietly in the corner of our printing room.  The coloured cords and misshapen shapes drew my interest further and I soon found myself being trained in using a Makerbot 3D Printer. 

What is 3D Printing?
3D printing describes a process in which solid 3D objects are created, one layer of material after another, from a single digital file. Students and Teachers start the process by eitherCreating an entirely original object with a 3D modeling program like Sketchup 

1. Creating an entirely original object with a 3D modeling program
2. Downloading a modifiable 3D template from sites like Instructables, YouMagine, and the MakerBot Thingverse community.

3D Printing and Education
With a sweeping focus in education on critical thinking, problem-solving and inquiry tools like 3D printers and their software have never been more necessary.  Drawing on skills found in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Literacy students can use this understanding to solve real world challenges.  If we as educators are seeking to provide students with meaningful learning tasks, then it doesn't get much more authentic than 3D design.

As the first day back draws closer each day, like any good teacher, I am thinking of ways to improve and prepare for an even better next year.  With a strong interest in infusing the Maker ideology into my classroom, I look forward to really exploring this hardware and how I can use it to empower my students.