3D Printers In The Classroom

With the prices of 3D printers going down, albeit still a bit on the high end for ubiquitous use in schools, we are beginning to see an upswing in the incorporation of these printers into classroom lessons.  Not only can they easily be incorporated into a Science classroom, but we have seen them used in History to recreate artifacts, in Architecture to print new or existing designs, in Food Science by creating molds or cookie cutter templates and even more.

I do have to admit there are several factors you need to consider when looking at implementing 3D printing at your school, or if you're really lucky, into your classroom.  Cost is always an issue, the number of projects you expect to print and how many students will be accessing the printer are also important in deciding whether you will need more than one printer and how much filament will be needed.  I have recently begun on a 3D printing journey myself.  I'll be posting my journey here and hopefully any tips I've learned along the way.  My hope is to give you inspiration, save you some time and get you started in giving your students the opportunity to explore, invent, design and innovate using 3D printers.

Let me begin by sharing with you the 3D printer I have been working with so far. It's a MakerBot 5th Generation Replicator.  Although, I've only created small objects to test the printer, I have found that the finished products have looked great with the exception of one huge fail that I will share with you in a later post.  We can't expect to be perfect with every print, right?  As a matter of fact, one of the best lessons students will take away from working with 3D printers is the iterative process that's inherent with 3D printing and to how to implement the design process in a collaborative way to get the best results.

I chose the MakerBot because of it's reputation in education. They have good resources for those starting out.  They offer an introductory handbook full of activities, ideas, projects and other tools to incorporate 3D design and printing into lesson plans. MakerBot also offers several tutorial videos, real-world examples of how educators are using MakerBot and other resources to jumpstart their 3D journey. For those just starting out, it's a great option. Visit their site to learn more. There are plenty of other options, though, ranging in size and price.

I'll keep you posted as I learn more on my 3D printing adventures.  I know it won't always be easy or perfect, but I'm prepared to constantly be learning.  I hope you will join me.

~ Rosie