Publications

In this article, we discuss the impacts of using 3D printing in education. Our primary goal is to evaluate the pedagogical impact of lessons utilizing 3D printing. We asked one hundred ninety students in four reference schools about the acceptability of existing 3D materials for teaching. Although the results show high attractiveness for the target group, it turned out that the available lessons primarily focus on the acquisition of technical skills and do not use the potential of education in other areas. We, therefore, proposed a concept for creating multidisciplinary teaching lessons that connect the technical part with other educational areas. We show the application of our concept in a newly developed lesson in biology, where we again evaluate its acceptance among the students. The results show that although the multidisciplinary lessons are more complex, they are still acceptable to the students, and, most importantly, they add significant educational value. Finally, we discuss the possibilities of incorporating 3D printing into the teaching curriculum. We also use a selected use case to illustrate the real-world problems we have encountered.

https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.13.2.631  

Three-dimensional tools (models) are used in natural sciences to represent objects and phenomena that cannot be observed directly. Its production is no longer limited to conventional materials (paper, plastic, clay, etc.), but also uses 3D printing technology. Some 3D printer manufacturers (e.g. Y Soft, PRUSA RESEARCH) are aware of this potential and offer projects for schools to get a 3D printer and create their tools. Masaryk University has been cooperating for the second year with Y Soft on the TAČR project "3D printing and its application in primary and secondary schools". Within the project, the methodology for 3D printing is being developed, as well as teaching aids and entire lessons are being designed and tested. It is necessary to introduce 3D printing to students of teaching disciplines. At FE MU, this issue is gradually penetrating the teaching of didactics and the final theses.

With the development of 3D printing technology in recent years, there has been a significant decrease in the price of printers and thus an increase in the availability of this technology. This technological area opens up new possibilities in a wide range of fields from industry, medicine, construction and architecture to the level of everyday home use. We also see a huge didactic potential in 3D technology, which is currently not being used. The implementation of 3D technologies in teaching at primary and secondary schools enables the creation of completely new types of teaching aids and increases the availability of teaching models for pupils and students. Students can work with teaching models in class and, with methodological supports, they also actively participate in their creation.

In this paper, we present results obtained during the project, which focuses on the application of 3D printing in primary and secondary schools. Our primary aim is to evaluate the pedagogical impact of lessons adopting 3D printing. We present four published lessons designed according to our concept of creating multidisciplinary teaching aids that connect the technical part with other educational areas. Furthermore, to evaluate their impact, we conducted a questionnaire survey in four reference schools. We asked 190 students about the acceptability of existing 3D materials for teaching and our new lessons. The results show, among other things, a high degree of attractiveness for the target group. The research also included an experimental verification of the pedagogical impact of using 3D models in the classroom. Usage of the 3D teaching aids mainly resulted in a significantly improved visual-spatial perception of objects.

https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/221301 

Teaching models can be obtained in three basic ways - by purchase, self-made or printed on a 3D printer. Due to the easy availability of 3D printers, it is the last option that is increasingly being used. However, the implementation of 3D printing in schools encounters barriers, mainly the lack of professional training of employees and the lack of high-quality printing instructions. The article presents experiences with 3D model designs and partial results of their verification in the teaching of natural history. The creation and verification of 3D models is supported by two projects within the Department of Biology PdF MU. Specifically, the TAČR project "3D printing and its application in primary and secondary schools", the solution of which Masaryk University cooperates with the Ysoft company, as well as the "Průša pro školy" project, thanks to which schools can get a 3D printer free of charge. As part of both projects, for example, original models of trepka and bacteria, or models of fruit lovers for teaching Mendel's laws were created. Currently, models are being prepared for teaching geological subjects. For use in teaching, it has proven successful for us to support the realism of 3D models by so-called post-processing (e.g. coloring the model or completing small parts such as eyebrows, which are difficult to print on a 3D printer). We also participate in testing instructions for 3D printing of models freely available on the Internet. Based on their pilot verification, modifications are proposed to make it easier for ordinary users to print models. The conclusions are gradually published on the Be3DAcademy portal.

In this article, we present the current state of 3D printing usage for educational purposes in primary and secondary schools. 3D printing in schools is not used to its full potential, mainly due to the lack of quality content suitable for teaching and insufficient knowledge of the IT environment effective setting. As evidence of the existing problems, we present the results of two commercial surveys dealing with the current state of 3D printing usage in schools. In the educational context, we will discuss 3D printers regarding their technological properties and the issues that arise during their deployment and usage. Further, we present state-of-the-art examples of the teaching practice, including available teaching materials, and discuss their applicability. Finally, we give our proposal for the systematical integration of 3D printing into the curriculum. The presented experiences and results also aim to help integrate 3D printing into teaching practice and make it easier for those interested in taking their first steps.

https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/219643/

The paper presents some of the results of the project, which aims to use the potential of 3D printing to improve the quality of the educational process and to increase the level of education of teachers and students in this area. The focus of our paper is on examples of specific lessons from mathematics, but the whole project also includes lessons from other disciplines - in particular geography, biology and technical education. The project is co-funded with the state support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under the ÉTA Programme.

Sborník příspěvků 10. konference Užití počítačů ve výuce matematiky