This is not a post on how to be creative, or how being creative will make you successful. It will not focus on brainstorming or sketching. I want to look at the benefits of 3D printing when it is used to creatively link to curriculum in ways that support learning across disciplines. 3D printers are a tool for learning. It excels at engagement and in providing 3 dimensional models of concepts where the only limits are the imagination. The following examples are ways 3D printing can support lessons from across the curriculum.
In an article from Cheek and Carter, one elementary class linked 3D printing to a reading lesson where the story is set in France (2021). The class is printing a model of the Eiffel Tower to enhance the learning experience and make connections to math and ELA support through retelling and vocabulary. This school is using a model of education where STEM is linked to every subject in the school.
Research by Akyol et al. suggests that 3D printers will be used in the medical field to produce artificial tissue and organs(2022). During the Covid 19 Pandemic, 3D printing was used in the health fields to create plastic parts for face shields and to control the flow rate of intravenous liquids. 3D printers could also create parts for medical equipment in remote parts of the world where it would otherwise be unavailable. Models of organs and bones assist medical students and surgeons to study the anatomy before making incisions. The medical applications are limitless. Akyol et al. also suggest that 3D technologies can work in food production and make desserts, but that would be science fiction!
Akyol et al. discuss that 3D printers have been sent to the international space station to increase the capabilities of astronauts (2022). 3D technology could provide building components and replacement parts on the Moon, or Mars, for critical systems. The inventory and weight of spare parts would not be practical to transport those distances. Making parts as needed would be a weight savings.
Construction and architecture are other areas where 3D technologies can multiply capabilities. Where equipment or materials are too expensive to transport to remote areas, 3D-printed parts can be used instead. Apart from computer modeling for architecture and engineering, 3D printing technology is used to manufacture housing from concrete and natural materials. Li et al. discuss the cutting edge materials used by 3D printers to create items (2023). Referred to as biomass, printers are making items out of organic materials instead of plastic. From benefits for biodegradability to medical applications where biocompatibility is an advantage, biomass is the future of drug development and wound treatment.
In chemistry, according to Akyol et al., 3D printing is perfect for making models of molecules and extended solids (2022). Students around the world can also print out their course materials where they may not be available or in limited supply. Organic chemistry and biology are two fields of research where 3D printing is valuable.
Drexel University has a lab where the students make materials and accessories for the fashion industry. More than buttons and buckles, fabrics are being designed and prototyped with 3D technology.
We need dreamers and students with imagination and technical literacies capable of building the future. 3D printing is a powerful piece of technology available to use in schools. In addition to its ability to produce almost any model to support learning, 3D technologies have a high degree of engagement for all stakeholders. This engagement is a benefit to promote participation in STEM classes and acts as a springboard for students wanting to pursue STEM careers. Innovation is the pursuit of improving the quality of human life. 3D technologies will be the window that learners will view the future through.
Akyol, C., Uygur, M., & Yelken, T. Y. (2022). The use of 3D design programs and 3D printers in the education of the gifted and the opinions of students and teachers. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 10(2), 173–205. https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.1105484
Cheek, L., & Carter, V. (2021). STEM integration through 3D printing and modeling. The Elementary STEM Journal, 1–9. https://www.uastem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/STEM-Integration-Through-3D-Printing-and-Modeling.pdf
Li, Y., Ren, X., Zhu, L., & Li, C. (2023). Biomass 3D Printing: Principles, materials, Post-Processing and Applications. Polymers, 15(12), 2692. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15122692
Marcus Szeiman 