The Benefits of 3D Printing in the Classroom
Year after year, schools and their teachers search for the best educational techniques to bring excitement and learning to the classroom. You will achieve both goals with the hands-on learning experience of 3D printing.
Students benefit in many ways with the introduction of 3D printing to their curriculum. How?
Textbook based readings and standard homework assignments have always been a long-term strategy for learning. But, the on-screen to real-world nature of 3D printing truly sparks the engagement and creativity of students.
At least as far as Onfim in the 13th Century, students have strived to be creative in the classroom, either through their assigned homework and projects, or simply by doodling at their desk.
Bringing in the engaging technology of 3D printing allows students to exercise their creativity. Designing on their own and seeing it come to life can nurture that inherent creative spirit and push them to continue that mindset.
Studies have shown a high correlation between classroom 3D printing use and academic achievement.
A 2018 study found that students that worked with 3D printing were able to more quickly and decisively answer questions on medical examinations, which was correlated with higher test scores.
Spatial Learning and its benefits are widely accepted. Utilizing the advanced technology of 3D printing is an excellent way to practice this learning technique. It helps to engage with your students and increases their capacity to better understand their surroundings.
3D printing benefits students in the short-term, and it helps ensure that they will be able to retain those skills as they grow older.
Students that interact and actively use 3D printing technology gain valuable technological skills, but they will also derive other measurable benefits. By actively using new technology like 3D printers in group projects and presentations, students will increase social and communication skills.
A study, conducted at Texas A&M University, echoed that sentiment, stating that working with and designing for 3D printing projects has “a positive influence on student’s motivation, interests, mathematic skills, and real-life skills.”
As STEAM learning becomes more adopted, 3D printers have raced to the forefront of education. This approach has shown benefits in multiple ways, namely through the crucial impact it has had on girls.
An initiative demonstrating this remarkable impact is MakerGirl from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This program has shown great efficacy by providing workshops and educational material to girls age 7 and up.
When you take a look back at the technological advancements of the past century, it is truly incredible how much innovation has occurred. It is not essential for students to have access to 3D printers.
For an entire nation, its workers, and its students, having access to leading technology bestows a “first-mover” advantage that lasts for decades. Implementing 3D printing in your school can help to provide that critical experience, giving your students true opportunity in the economy of the 2020s.
How do I get started?
To kick off 2022, Dynamism created a brand-new EDU Purchasing Guide for our Nation’s educators to get a better idea of which items might help their classroom. Take a look at our guide by filling out the form below!
