High school is a crucial stage for students to explore potential careers. From a young age, we’re often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This common question can be overwhelming for many students navigating their career options.
To help with this decision-making process, many high schools offer hands-on learning programs that provide STEM experiences. These programs allow students to explore potential career paths. An innovative example of this is the use of 3D printing technology in classrooms, which can inspire the future workforce.
Classroom technology, including MakerBot 3D printers and the Stratasys F123 Series, has become an essential tool for curriculum development. These printers foster active learning and increase student engagement. By working with the MakerBot Sketch Classroom or designing their projects, students are able to see how their ideas can impact the world, making the daunting question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ easier to answer.
Still, wondering why 3D printing is so important for high school students? Here are three compelling reasons.
3D Printing Education Creates Inventors
More and more educators are now including 3D printing as part of their STEM curriculum. That’s because creativity and innovation are essential to success in the workplace, and exercising those skills in school is a critical element in a student’s education. With the right classroom tools and guidance, students can tackle real-world challenges, address them through their own ideas, and prepare for their careers.
Take the students at Foothills College, for example. Several years back, they were able to design a custom 3D-printed exoskeleton for a 4-year-old child named Noel. He was born with arthrogryposis, which left him unable to bend his arms, making it difficult to eat or dress without help. Students in the community college’s biomedical device engineering program designed the exoskeleton to help Noel gain more freedom of movement.
Your students can have a similar positive impact! With hands-on learning through 3D printing, students can see firsthand how their creativity and innovation can change the world around them.
3D Printing Engages Students in Active Learning
3D printing, an element of STEM Education in high schools, makes learning fun. 3D printing lets educators illustrate difficult concepts through interactive learning, which can help increase student engagement and participation. It also promotes active learning since students are able to interact with a subject at every stage of the lesson.
One of our clients from a high school in Alabama shared this account of using leading-edge technology in the classroom: “Utilizing 3D printing products and software has been a great way to teach and motivate my students. It has helped my students grasp the subject matter and retain information, as they have printed topographic maps of our state, studied printed cells and viruses, and even made 3D artwork.”
Incorporating a 3D printer into your curriculum could yield the same results! Your students will be more involved in learning and can discover what they are most passionate about as they near their future careers.
And 3D printing isn’t limited to a handful of careers—it’s used in diverse fields, from Formula 1 racing to medical technology, & more. See how 3D printing is used in Formula 1 racing here.
3D Printing Helps Students Solve Real-World Problems
As high school students prepare to step into the “real world,” equipping them with the right skills is crucial. 3D printing helps students develop essential capabilities like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving that will be invaluable in their careers.
Everyday career fields such as science, engineering, mathematics, research, architecture, and design use 3D printing technology to create new products. By integrating this classroom technology into your curriculum through partners like Technical Training Aids, you’re providing hands-on learning experiences and fostering student engagement. This approach introduces your students to the challenges they’ll face in the workplace, making them active learners and aiding in their career preparation. All these contribute to comprehensive curriculum development, preparing the students for their future.
3D Printing for Your Classroom
Technical Training Aids, a key player in the southeast, partners with several 3D printer manufacturers to provide high-performance and reliable classroom technology for schools. We have a variety of printers, including MakerBot 3D and the Stratasys F123 Series, which are perfect for active learning and hands-on STEM experiences. They are perfect for the classroom and fit various budgets! For instance:
MakerBot 3D printers, including MakerBot Sketch Classroom, are high-performance, reliable tools to help educators and students design new and exciting solutions for industry-related, real-world scenarios. MakerBot 3D printers offer lesson plans and prototype iterations to develop the necessary skills for the next generation of STEM experts! Learn more about the MakerBot Sketch Classroom here!
Stratasys F123 Series printers combine industrial-grade capability with simple operation that provides a seamless transition into the classroom. Printers in this series provide unlimited design freedom for your students, as well as compatibility with a wide range of materials, durability, and affordability, thereby enhancing career preparation. Learn more about the F123 series printers from Stratasys here!
We also offer many additional 3D printing educational resources. Read about some of our top 3D curriculums here!
And these are just a few of the options we have available! View Technical Training Aids’ list of educational products and partners here.
3D Printing Solutions Are Just a Call Away!
Having a trustworthy resource is invaluable when dealing with advanced products like 3D printers. The Technical Training Aids team has been helping schools like yours, all across the southeast, find the educational training tools they need to prepare their students for success. Reach out to a local representative to get support in finding the 3D printer that’s right for your school!
If you already have a product in mind, request a quote here!
