Teaching 3D Design and Print Virtually

As many of you know, my focus regarding 3D technologies is on education of at-risk young people.  

Teaching these disciplines goes well beyond simply learning a new technical skill.  The entire basis for choosing to focus on 3D Design and Printing is a desire to change the trajectories of these young lives.

The fundamental goal of the curriculum we developed at the YouthQuest Foundation, and now continue with our merger with the Phillips Programs, is to make it abundantly clear that failures are NEVER final.  

I have kept this fundamental goal clearly in mind as we have been forced by COVID-19 circumstances to turn to virtual teaching because classrooms in our area have been locked down.  Key to that goal in a classroom setting is quick turnaround of printed designs.  Timing is critical.  Being able to quickly print a design and return it to the student in printed form performs a number of critically vital life benefits.

FROM VIRTUAL TO TANGIBLE

First, it provides tangible proof of their ability to take an idea from a mental image to an onscreen design and then to a solid object that can be held in their hand and examined. The value of this cannot be overstated even if the object turns out to be surprisingly different than what they expected.  It is still THEIRS.  Students rarely discard printed objects that fall short of their original vision.

BASIS FOR CRITICAL THINKING

Secondly, printed objects provide the basis for applying critical thinking that compares the original vision with the reality.  Without a printed part there is no way to truly know how a design translates from screen to physical reality.  And, without that comparison there is no true basis for seeing how the design might be made better.  It's impossible to learn that failure is not final unless you have the specific types of failures that can easily be used as object lessons.  And, of course, that means failures that can easily be corrected.

EVIDENCE OF PROGRESS

Thirdly, printed objects provide tangible evidence of progress as designs are altered and new prints are created.  Student quickly realize that no matter how many redesigns might be necessary, each is a stepping stone to success.  It is this realization, for most, that is the most powerful force for changing the trajectory of their lives.  Few people have struggled so often with failure than those that find themselves in what educators call the "at-risk" population.  And, perhaps, what has placed them there in the past was the inability to deal with failure positively.  3D Design and printing provides them with the opportunity to see that even small improvements contribute to a new reality of success.  Each new print provides evidence that they can USE failures to their benefit as stepping stones to success.

THE VIRTUAL CHALLENGE

While we have more than enough printers to fulfill the printing requirements for our students, the lock down meant that we could not fully utilize these resources.  Each of the 3D teachers has a printer at home.  And, while we could use those printers to print for our students, we faced another hurdle.

Our school, being specialized, draws students from a very wide area.  While located in Fairfax, Virginia, we serve students from Fairfax County, Prince William County, Arlington County, the cities of Alexandra and Washington, DC.  This makes it very difficult to print and distribute prints in a manner timely enough to achieve our fundamental goal for this class.

STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Like all school systems, both public and private, the COVID-19 lock downs have not only impacted HOW we operate; but, the financial aspects of continuing in a pandemic environment as well.  Even so, as a newcomer to the Phillips Programs family, I am pleased to say that the leadership understood full well that while we could teach 3D design virtually, unless our students could print those designs for immediate feedback, the very reasons behind our teaching this discipline would be lost.  The students could still have the joy of creating 3D designs.  But, would design alone really provide the primary benefit we wish to accomplish in these young lives?  Would design alone be enough to change the trajectory of their lives.

All of us agreed that it would not.

So, in spite of the sacrifice and cost, in a trying time for school budgets, the management stepped up to the plate to ensure that each of our students would get the FULL benefits of our curriculum by carefully selecting and purchasing 3D printers suitable for placing in the homes of our high school students actively participating in our Designing Futures program.

3D MOTIVATES

Obviously, this purchase was necessitated by the COVID-19 emergency.  But, it will provide us with critical experience that we can pass on to other teachers and administrations about the effectiveness of in-home 3D printers.  Did we pick the right one?  Were they as reliable as we had hoped?  How well did the student's (and parents) cope with the intricacies of printing? What specific new training from us was required?  And, did the process work as planned?  How much did it contribute to our success towrd our goal of enhancing the lives of students?  As the answers become plain, I will share the here and elsewhere for the benefit of all who see 3D technologies as positive influences in the lives of children... and, especially 'at-risk' children.