Today, on the 5th annual Manufacturing Day, manufacturing pioneers from your neighborhood makerspace to the White House are celebrating the strength and ingenuity of American manufacturing and focusing on motivating the next generation of of manufacturers and entrepreneurs.
Educators at every level play a critical role in creating learning environments that expose students to inspiring experiences within Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM). In celebration of Manufacturing Day, Formlabs invites innovative, creative educators to develop and submit lesson plans on 3D printing along with an applicable .STL file by November 30th for a chance to win a Form 2 3D printer for your classroom.
Bridging the Shop Class Gap
Learning about the manufacturing process gives students insight into how everyday objects are made and helps to foster problem solving and design thinking.
According to a survey by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, 50 percent of students have no interest in a future manufacturing career.
Learning about the manufacturing process fosters problem solving and design thinking. Incorporating new technology and teaching hands-on skills like 3D printing and robotics gives students insight into how everyday objects are made, and helps them understand how the theoretical or digital skills learned in class can change the world around them.
Initiatives like Boston University’s Artemis Project, a five-week summer program for ninth grade grade girls, are already seeing how 3D printing can pique student interest in technical topics. At the college level, Harvard research scientist Mark Scott uses 3D printing as both a research and an education tool, helping to prototype millifluidic devices and student designs. Anatomical engineering service bureau Biomedical Modeling, Inc. 3D prints models that teachers can use for education and demonstration purposes.
For teachers who don’t have time to build a new class, 3D printed models can supplement existing lessons. For example, by printing architectural or molecular models, instructors can take abstract concepts out of the pages of a textbook and into their students’ hands. And with resources like the Smithsonian’s 3D model library X 3D, 3D Hubs, and Pinshape at their disposal, educators don’t need 3D modeling or 3D printing skills to start experimenting.
Curious about different applications of 3D printing in education? Watch the recording of our one-hour webinar, Leveraging 3D Printing in Education.
Announcing The Innovate & Educate Challenge
We’d like to hear from you, the people who know the most about the classroom and its needs, about how you’re integrating 3D printing into your teaching.
Formlabs invites you and your colleagues to develop and submit lesson plans on 3D printing, along with an applicable .STL file, for a chance to win a Form 2 3D printer for your classroom. We’re joined by an esteemed panel of judges from the worlds of education and manufacturing:
- Eva Mitchell, M.Ed., Director of the Boston Public Schools Partnership with General Electric
- Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code
- Jeffrey Brodie, Deputy Director for the Lemelson Center (Smithsonian)
- Russell Shilling, Executive Director of STEM at the U.S. Department of Education
- Lisa Katayama, Co-creator of the MIT Media Lab's Director's Fellows Program
- Katie Rast, Director of Fab Lab Foundation
- Travis McCready, President & CEO of Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
- Sarah Keating, Director of Education and Strategy, National Partnerships at Scholastic
The judges will select the lesson plan and file that offer the best educational experience using the following criteria:
- The objective of the lesson plan is clearly stated and provides a manner of which to achieve it.
- The .STL file is engaging and relevant to the lesson plan.
- The lesson allows the student to make connections between 3D printing and real world applications.
The first place winner will receive the Form 2 Complete Package, including a Finish Kit, valued at $3499, plus a blog post on the Formlabs website featuring the winner and lesson plan. The runner up winner will receive $400 off a Form 2 and a high-resolution print of their .STL file, and will also be featured in the Formlabs blog post. The top 25 entries will also receive an SLA 3D print of their part.
Submit Your Entry
We can’t wait to read your lesson plans! For more information and to enter the contest, visit our Innovate & Educate Challenge page. Entries are due by November 30th.
