{"id":5589,"date":"2017-09-06T16:18:23","date_gmt":"2017-09-06T20:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/?p=5589"},"modified":"2017-09-06T16:27:25","modified_gmt":"2017-09-06T20:27:25","slug":"editorial-infographic-stem-teaching-using-3d-printers-stem-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2017\/09\/06\/editorial-infographic-stem-teaching-using-3d-printers-stem-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Editorial and Infographic – STEM Teaching: Using 3D Printers for Your STEM Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although I’ve written about 3D printing extensively here on Armchair Arcade<\/a>, as well at popular media outlets like TechRadar<\/a> and Ars Technica<\/a>, I have not yet focused on its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math(s)) aspects. The editorial content and infographic that follow from Abby Quillen and Quill help address that.<\/em><\/p>\n

3D printers<\/a>\u00a0have revolutionized manufacturing. Companies use them to more efficiently make airplane parts, prosthetic limbs, and orthotics. In several years, it may be common for consumers to print customizable parts and objects at home\u2014a practice that could potentially reduce waste, packaging, and pollution.<\/p>\n

3D printing technology could also transform your classroom. Teachers successfully use 3D printing to complement Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and to integrate technology into non-tech related disciplines, such as history and language arts. Keep reading to learn why you may want to add a 3D printer to your teaching toolbox, and discover a handful of fun 3D\u2013printer projects for elementary students.<\/p>\n

From STEM to STEAM<\/h2>\n

Our educational system has a big task: prepare students to succeed in life. Increasingly, policy makers believe\u00a0STEM<\/a>\u00a0is the best way to do that.\u00a0STEM<\/a>\u00a0integrates engineering and technology into math and science curricula and attempts to replace teacher-led learning with an approach emphasizing discovery, exploratory learning, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n

Why STEM? Technology dominates our daily lives and today’s students need to be more scientifically and technologically\u00a0literate<\/a>. Many educators hope a greater focus on STEM curricula will help American high school students compete on the Program for International Assessment (PISA<\/a>), a test that ranks 72 countries in the world in science, reading, and math. In 2015, the U.S. ranked 31st in math and 18th in science out of the 35 industrialized countries who participated.<\/p>\n

STEM may also help American students better prepare for the increasingly technological 21st-century workforce. For instance, the biomedical engineering field is\u00a0projected<\/a>\u00a0to grow 62 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Furthermore, educators hope the program will help the next generations become innovators who tackle complex environmental and societal challenges.<\/p>\n

Recently, many schools have integrated arts into the STEM curricula to encourage more creative thinking and have rebranded their programs as Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM).<\/p>\n

How to Use 3D Printers in the Classroom<\/h2>\n

3D printers allow users to design and create 3D objects. They’re an amazing tool for STEM and STEAM classrooms because they provide hands-on lessons that integrate technology, engineering, math, art, and other subjects. Moreover, 3D-printing projects encourage creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n

To print a 3D object, students use one of three ways to create a digital file.<\/p>\n