Evaluation of RepRap 3D Printer Workshops in K-12 STEM

AERA Annual Meeting , 2018

As it makes its way into classrooms (Halverson & Sheridan, 2014; Kafai, Fields, & Searle, 2014), the Maker Movement arguably contributes to a positive shift in teaching practice (cf. claims in NMC & CoSN, 2015), originally prompted by the integration of information technology tools at the end of the 20th century, from an emphasis on teacher-centered and highly structured lectures to lessons that are increasingly student-centered, hands-on and open-ended. This shift is important to notice, since it could require supportive measures in school policy and teacher education. One of the maker technologies seen most often in schools at present tends to be the 3D printer (Clapp et al., 2016; Martinez & Stager, 2013). This small-scale exploratory study (Yin, 2017) examined the use of 3D printers in four schools in New Jersey. Themes emerged suggesting that individual teachers often play a leading role in 3D printing integration, school organizational structure strongly influences diffusion of integration, and decisions made about where 3D printing fits into the curriculum could determine which students have access to this potentially important technology. Purpose My purpose was to investigate the integration of 3D printing technologies into K-12 teaching practice and begin to conceptualize the maker teacher. This study asked: What are the constraints that limit adoption and integration of 3D printing technology into the K-12 curriculum? What does 3D printing technology integration look like in schools? What are educators' beliefs about 3D printing technology?

STEM ACTIVITIES MADE WITH 3D PRINTER; THE EFFECT ON AWARENESS OF TEACHER CANDIDATES REGARDING ITS USE IN SCIENCE LESSONS, 2021

The inclusion of integrated structures and interdisciplinary relations in education and inclusion in course curricula in the world has become even more important with the prominence of STEM education in the world. STEM means the inclusion of project-based applications in education within an integrated structure with science, technology, mathematics and engineering activities. Motivation/Background: It is noted that the majority of STEM research in our country is focused on science education. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of 3D printing STEM activities on teacher candidates ' awareness of their use in science course. Method: 37 science teacher candidates participated in the 7-week study. Qualitative research method was used in this study. Qualitative data was taken from the field notes and semi-structured interview. Results: Thanks to 3D STEM activities, teacher candidates achieved to create a realistic product by using their knowledge in different disciplines such as science, mathematics, technology, and engineering and 21st century skills. Conclusions: According to the results of the research, the usage of 3D printer in a science course creates awareness in teacher candidates in terms of three-dimensional thinking and learning experience.

arXiv: Physics Education, 2019

An overview concerning 3D printing (a.k.a. additive manufacturing) within the context of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at the college/university level is provided. The vast majority of quoted papers report self-made models for which faculty members and their students have created the necessary 3D print files themselves by various routes. The prediction by the Gartner consulting company that it will take more than ten years from July 2014 onwards for Classroom 3D Printing to reach its Plateau of Productivity in one of their hallmark Visibility versus Time (Hype Cycle) graphs is critically assessed. The bibliography of this book chapter sums up the state-of-the art in 3D printing for STEM (including nano-science and nano-engineering) education at the college level approximately four years after Gartner's prediction. Current methodologies and best practices of college-level Classroom 3D printing are described in the main section of this review. ...

Additive Manufacturing, 2019

The emergence of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies is introducing industrial skills deficits and opportunities for new teaching practices in a range of subjects and educational settings. In response, research investigating these practices is emerging across a wide range of education disciplines, but often without reference to studies in other disciplines. Responding to this problem, this article synthesizes these dispersed bodies of research to provide a state-of-the-art literature review of where and how 3D printing is being used in the education system. Through investigating the application of 3D printing in schools, universities, libraries and special education settings, six use categories are identified and described: (1) to teach students about 3D printing; (2) to teach educators about 3D printing; (3) as a support technology during teaching; (4) to produce artefacts that aid learning; (5) to create assistive technologies; and (6) to support outreach activities. Although evidence can be found of 3D printing-based teaching practices in each of these six categories, implementation remains immature, and recommendations are made for future research and education policy.

Proceedings of the 17th ACM Conference on Interaction Design and Children

With increasing focus on integrating 3D printing in educational settings, more emphasis needs to be placed on how to introduce young students to the complexities of the 3D printing process. Inspired by the patrons of 3D printer services, we engage children in a simplified 3D printing process. We conducted a study with two 3 rd grade public school science classes over 4 days, where students were tasked to print 3D designs they find online for use in a class presentation. Initial findings identify challenges within this process, and show indications of emerging interest towards 3D printing.

2024

is an Academic Support Coordinator and Articulation Liaison for the School of Business and Technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES, located in Princess Anne, Maryland. Dr. Johnson also serves as a an adjunct professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Technology. Dr. Johnson earned her Ed.D in Organization Leadership and Innovation from Wilmington University. She received a master's degree in Technology and Engineering from Iowa State University and bachelor's of science in Manufacturing Systems from North Carolina A&T State University. Dr. Johnson is currently serves as the President of Women in Technology, Management, and Applied Technology (WITMAE) and secretary of the National Transportation Review Board. Dr. Johnson has publications in both national peer-reviewed journals involving aviation and technology education.

International Journal of Progressive Education, 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 3D (3-dimensional) printing activities on preservice teachers' self-efficacy in technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) and their views of 3D printing activities. The study sample consisted of 39 students of science education, classroom teaching and preschool teaching departments of the faculty of education. An exploratory sequential mixed method design was used. In the quantitative part, a one group pre-test post-test design was used, and data were analysed using statistical methods. In the qualitative part, phenomenology was used, and data were analysed using content analysis. Results showed that 3D printing activities improved participants' self-efficacy in TPCK. Participants stated that 3D printers helped them develop skills in many areas and that 3D printer teaching materials contributed to both learning and teaching. The majority of participants had positive views on the effect of 3D objects on learning. They stated that 3D objects turned abstract concepts into concrete visual representations, facilitated learning, made lessons enjoyable, provided learning retention, encouraged them to learn more about their fields, increased their interest, and helped them develop creative thinking and design skills, and thus, create different content-specific educational materials.

International Journal of Art & Design Education

In recent years, digital fabrication, and especially its associated activities of 3D design and printing, have taken root in school education as curriculum-based and maker-oriented learning activities. This article explores the adoption of 3D design and printing for learning by fourth, fifth and sixth grade children (n=64) in multidisciplinary learning modules in elementary school education. School-coordinated 3D projects were not led by design experts, such as art and design teachers, designers, researchers or technical specialists, but run 'in the wild' by school teachers. The study was conducted by using an ethnographic research design, including field observations, non-formal interviews and a reflective questionnaire. The results indicate that, in the adoption of 3D printing activities, learning is centred on the technical skills and the usage of 3D tools. Hence, the elementary ABCs of 3D printing do not achieve the full design and creativity potential of digital fabrication that earlier research has suggested. However, the results do have implications for the potential of 3D printing projects to increase children's empowerment. In their current state, 3D design and printing are some of the learning tools, among others, and similar achievements can be achieved with other hands-on learning technologies. In order to enhance the learning of creativity and design thinking skills, 3D activities in school should be planned accordingly.

Education Sciences

Three-dimensional (3D) printing can revolutionize the way products have been designed and manufactured. This necessitates engineering graduates equipped with the knowledge and skills of 3D printing. As a result, the educational aspects of 3D printing have earned a great deal of attention. Nevertheless, to teach 3D printing in an undergraduate engineering degree program, an outcomes-oriented approach integrating engineering design, object visualization/digitization, and 3D printing domains can be used. Accordingly, this study presents a tutorial development method to teach undergraduate engineering students the knowledge and skills of 3D printing. The method integrates the abovementioned domains maintaining a hierarchy among the seven ABET-prescribed outcomes. The hierarchy organizes the outcomes into three levels (primary, secondary, and tertiary). The presented method is implemented by introducing a tutorial where a spur gear-pinion pair is designed, visualized, digitized, and 3D p...