e3dublog

[e3dublog]

What we do

Our methodology: intensive training, exchange of practice, production of tangible outputs, trials and testing, active dissemination

Our activities: an intensive training week for teachers; a pupils’ exchange week; 5 international project meetings and mini-workshops to exchange and demonstrate the host schools’ practice in 3D education, to critically discuss and evaluate its new lesson plans; online meetings; intensive, ongoing project activities; ongoing active dissemination

These activities will enable our teachers and pupils to develop new thinking and digital skills, to be able to confidently use 3D technologies, to create, design and manufacture in 3D, to use these skills in cross-curriculum contexts. High levels of digital competence, understanding of how to think in 3D, and creativity are expected.

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Target groups

Pupils of 11 - 18

Initially teachers of IT; Technology; Design and Technology; Mathematics; Art; Design; Architecture; Sciences (Physics, Chemistry)

Subsequently teachers of a wider range of subjects

Actively through dissemination networks

Teachers and pupils in other schools in the local or regional area of each partner

Professionals in teacher training organisations in each local or regional area

Members of our wider communities

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Objectives

- collaborate intensively across the partnership to discover and learn from best practice in 3D Education

- develop teachers’ and pupils’ ability to use 3D technology effectively and with confidence; better prepare our pupils for higher studies, employment and entrepreneurship

- produce tangible outputs, including a tried and tested set of high quality 3D Education Lesson Plans, Resources and Guidance, available online, enabling teachers and their pupils to think, create, design and make things using 3D approaches and technology

- exploit the transnational nature of our partnership to learn from our combined depth and range of knowledge, experience, cultural differences and commercial backgrounds

- extensively disseminate our results and outcomes as a high-profile, hands-on ongoing activity to achieve a significant impact, expanding the test-bed for our concrete outcomes and increasing the capacity for others to benefit

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How it started

At European level it is known that there is a lack of digital provision in schools, and a need for digitally confident and supportive teachers. 3D technology is now at the forefront of all design and production techniques. 3D printing technology is widely available for domestic use, but there is little guidance on how to use it effectively and recognise the potential it presents.

In 2012 3D printing came to a public festival on the island of Vlieland through the workshop provided by House of Design. We were fascinated by this technology and its potential, and wanted to learn more about how to use it in our schools. With the encouragement of the Province of Friesland, we developed a Comenius partnership to work with other countries to bring 3D thinking and making into schools together with designers and scientists.

This produced a first attempt at a set of lesson plans using 3D technologies in curriculum subjects for the age range 9-16 and guidance for teachers. www.3Dcomenius.com

Significant interest arose in our Province and across the partnership. Our results were plugging a gap in information and resources available to teachers. We are aware that the lesson plans we produced are only a first step, and now need extensive trials and testing, producing better lesson plans and guidance for a wider age range.

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Partners

A unique mix of partners from different countries are the team that work together in creating lesson plans, sharing their knowledge and working on ideas on sustainability.

Schools:

Bredeschool de Jutter, Vlieland, Netherlands

Erikslundskolan, Boras, Sweden

Farlingaye High School, Woodbridge, United Kingdom

Vagen vidergaende skole, Sandnes, Norway

Kummun koulu, Outokumpu, Finland

IES L’ Eliana, L’Eliana, Spain

RSG Magister Alvinus, Sneek, Netherlands

Artist, science centre, design centre:

Jonathan Keep, Leiston, United Kingdkom

Navet, Boras, Sweden

House of Design, Groningen, Netherlands

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About the project

We aim to provide new significant professional resources to help teachers become competent and confident in thinking and making in 3D, using 3D technologies, to recognise the potential for enhancing the curriculum and motivating pupils, and show how to integrate 3D-technology across the curriculum. The main concrete output, 3D Education Lesson Plans Resources and Guidance are intended to support teachers with high quality, tried and tested resources to acquire and improve digital competences across a wide range of education contexts for the 11-18 age range.

We believe this will bring a lasting strategic impact for the partner schools and its findings will apply across other fields of education. We want to achieve as wide an impact as possible. Our dissemination plan reaches out across each region involving each partner school to cascade training, results and outcomes through active hands-on participation of other schools, wider education fields and people in our communities. It provides a stronger test-bed for our Lesson Plans and results in at least 2,500 indirect beneficiaries.

A team of commercial designers/technologists will work closely with our teachers to give intensive training and introduce up to date thinking, design and manufacturing methods into our schools. Crucial aspects of our work depend on advanced technical knowledge and expertise from this team, as well as commercial know-how.