How 3D Printers Can Help Improve Students’ Learning Curve

3D Printers Can Help Improve Students’ Learning Curve

Keeping education and technology hand-in-hand is the way forward for students to gain diverse knowledge and increase school and university retention. When it comes to technology, 3D printing plays a huge role in schools, universities, and even library operations. 3D printing has made classes a lot more engaging and helps students prepare for the next step of their careers. Schools and universities, and educators from diverse fields could use 3D printing or additive printing both for physical and online classes. And here is a detailed guide on how 3D printers could help improve the learning curve.

Using 3D Printing In School And Universities

Educators can make use of 3D printing at different grade levels, expose students from a very early age to technology and help them understand physical prototypes accurately and other scientific concepts. An example would be spatial learning which is often considered advantageous over textbook or screen learning. With 3D printing, they could improvise on their oral presentations, helping them gain more confidence.

Colleges and other institutions on a global scale have been adopting 3D printing to revolutionize the way education is offered. 3D printing is in demand in fields like automobile, aerospace, physics, defense, and others. For many, in the future, their job functionality will depend a great deal on 3D printing; hence, specializing in it from the very beginning is crucial. Here are some crucial benefits of 3D printing that would help students gain a holistic learning experience.

• A Hands-On Learning Experience: Students are known to learn better when the learning environment welcomes their active participation. Looking at the textbook and slides does not do much towards imparting quality education. As long as students do not apply what they have learned, it is futile. Both visual and tactile students could benefit from 3D printing. In the field of engineering, students learn about product prototyping and developing functional parts through 3D printing.
• Encourages To Be Innovative And Creative: For a successful career, learning is not just enough, one needs to be creative too. 3D printing encourages creative thinking by offering student solutions. This is helpful for art students who can paint their designs and take creativity to new heights with 3D printing.
• Enables Them to Understand The Real World: Students gain knowledge so that it can be applied in the outside world. This is where 3D printing helps by creating opportunities for students that allow them to work on their communications and gain some real-world understanding. Whether it be healthcare, petrochemical, or aerospace, 3D printing can help students land a smooth step in their careers.
• Helps Them Plan For Higher Studies: It is not just engineering or other product manufacturing industries that require 3D printing; but even art and jewelry do. According to research, almost 1.4 million 3D printer units were shipped all over the world in 2018, and the number is expected to reach 8 million by the end of 2027. Again, expert guidance for the running of printers is increasing, increasing the demand for graphic design students. While knowledge regarding 3D printers should start from school days, in college, they get jobs prepared and to face the real world.
• Helps Work On Problem Solving Skills: 3D printers are known to help solve real-world problems. Students in different fields need to figure out how to turn their abstract ideas into solid 3D objects, figuring out how the concepts work with one another. 3D printing helps students approach and solve issues in a logical way. And not just logical thinking; it boosts creative thinking too.

Use Of 3D Printing In Library

Libraries in today’s world have expanded more than just a place for issuing books. Most modern libraries now have computers at their disposal, and the most advanced ones come with 3D printers too. Having a 3D printer in libraries makes it accessible for all kinds of students and not just science and engineering batches. In libraries, students can get together and create projects that are diverse. This removes the barrier between learning, experimentation, and gaining knowledge. This unites students and faculties towards imparting and gaining real-life experiences.

Therefore, these are some of the ways by which 3D printing could really prove to be fruitful for education at both school and higher levels