26/08/2019 - Projects
We Are the Makers Erasmus+ project: Download the Learning Scenarios
Reading time: 2.5 minutesThe Erasmus+ project "We Are the Makers" enters its third year of activity. We present some of the works carried out concerning the proposed and tested learning scenarios.
The Learning Scenarios created by the We Are the Makers Erasmus+ project, co-funded by the European Union's Erasmus Plus programme, are in Creatice Commons and can be downloaded.
The project website:http://www.wemakers.eu/it/home-italian/
The main objectives of We Are the Makers are:
- Introduction of 3D printing in schools
- Introduction to the Internet of Things (ioT) in schools
- Introduction of interactive object design concepts in schools
The inspiration to the content of the project came to the parters from the activities of the e-nable volunteers' movement, which realizes worldwide 3D printed hands for children suffering from agenesis of the upper limbs (for malformation or amputation of the hands or arms). In these cases, an early use of a customized 3D printed hands can help children to develop their symmetry, posture and sense of space. You can consult the Enabling the Future website: http://enablingthefuture.org/
3d printing activities are now widespread in many areas. We Are the Makers' goal is to offer teachers and students courses that are both related to the curriculum subjects and that could inspire some interest and orientation towards the new professions.
THE LEARNING SCENARIOS OF WE ARE THE MAKERS
On this page: http://www.wemakers.eu/o1-educational-3d-printing-manual/ you will find many of the preparatory work carried out by the Project partners, as a basis for the creation of the first Manual dedicated to the didactic introduction of 3D printing in secondary school (first and second grade). These learning scenarios can be applied in each class, and are both real and simulated. For example, the scenario of printing 3d hands is real; the one of the realization of the bridge is a simulation that has a lot of relevance with the real realization of a bridge. Here below the learning scenarios, in summary, but you can find them described in full in the page indicated: http://www.wemakers.eu/o1-educational-3d-printing-manual/)
1) The French Partner, e-nable France, presents on this page http://www.wemakers.eu/o1-educational-3d-printing-manual/ the manual of how to make and assemble a hand printed in 3d for children with malformations of upper limbs. As you will see from the learning scenario presented, even secondary school students, followed by their teacher, would be able to create a printed 3d hand that can be donated to a child with malformation.
2) The Danish partner, the company Create It Real, has developed some learning scenarios. The first is centred on the modeling and 3D printing of a bridge, which will be tested on two parameters: the bridge strength and its cost. In the course of the activity students will learn how to improve the two parameters at the same time.
Another scenario presented by Create It Real concerns the parametric design of a vase shaped object. Here the students will print a vase in 3D and then present their product to their class trying to "sell" it. Students will improve their design by exploring the effect of small changes in the code to produce the desired updated design.
In the third scenario presented by Create It Real students will print an anti-stress ball in 3D using a flexible or elastic filament. The evaluation of the product will be on two parameters: a. correlation between the 3d model and the 3d printed product; b. number of balls "sold" to the classmates. Contents: Understanding the properties of materials - hardness, flexibility. Understanding of the relationship between geometry and material behavior.
3) The German partner, the Kepler High School in Weil der Stadt, presents a scenario centred on CAD/CAM/ and Computer Generated Imagery. A basic overview of a standard industrial production flow, starting from the sketch of an idea, implementing it in a CAD package, visualizing the idea through rendering (CGI) and realizing it with CAM techniques, and finally elaborating the relationship between CAD, CGI and CAM.
Another scenario presented by Kepler High School concerns the chemistry of PLA. In this scenario students will learn about PLA as a renewable and recyclable 3D printing material. Another scenario of the Kepler High School, designed in honor of the great astronomer Johannes Kepler, born in Weil der Stadt, concerns the design and 3D printing of ancient astronomical instruments. A fourth scenario of the Kepler High School concerns the subject of English and focuses on researching into the e-nable movement and its activities. A last scenario presented by the Kepler High School is called "Souvenir Shop" and produces a series of 3d printed souvenirs that recall the historical, geographical and other characteristics of some countries.
The scenarios presented by the Greek partner, Edumotiva, are three and focus on the design and printing of a chainmail structure, a complex structure where each chainlink connects to others. Similarly, two other Edumotiva learning scenarios involve other complex structures, such as rack and pinion.
Edumotiva's scenarios are interesting and complex, since they refer to different curricular subjects strenghtening students' logical reasoning.
Scuola di Robotica from Italy presented some learning scenarios related to art. In a scenario where fotogrammetry is used, students prints an artistic object hosted in a museum and other students must guess the object by touching it. A second scenario of Scuola di Robotica concerns laboratory activities inspired by the problem of plastic polluting the oceans: How to free the oceans from plastic; the different types of plastic; the recyclable plastic. Another scenario of Scuola di Robotica concerns 3D printing - using recycled plastic found at sea - of objects shaped as those marine species threatened with extinction due to plastic pollution.
Also the scenarios presented by the Partner of Romania, the University of Valahia Targoviste are very interesting and concern the study of the allotropic properties of matter, the phenomenon for which a chemical element or compound can exist, at the same temperature and pressure, in two or more different forms for their physical and chemical properties, while presenting the same state of aggregation. The University of Valahia Targoviste has identified the topic "From diamonds to nanotubes. Allotropic forms of carbon" and has designed a series of learning scenarios where allotropic forms of carbon will be printed in 3d by the students.
All these scenarios can be adopted and replicated by secondary schools that, in the absence of 3d printers, could connect to local Fablab and collaborate with them.