3D Printing in VET
Global programme: ERASMUS+
Specific programme: KA2 - Cooperation and Innovation for Good Practices
Call: 2019
Project number: 2019-1-EL01-KA202-062909
Duration: 24 Months (9/1/2019 - 8/31/2021)
Project Manager: Charalambos-Nikolaos Piteris
UNINETTUNO Scientific Leader: Dario Assante
UNINETTUNO Project Manager: Sabrina Feletig
Website: https://3dprintinginvet.eu/
Summary
Even though 3D printers have been around for almost 30 years, the recent rise of low-cost printers has led some to proclaim the onset of a new industrial revolution. Schools and libraries all over the world are bringing these powerful tools to students in classrooms and dedicated “makerspaces” where they are accompanied by other fabrication tools. For example, China is putting 3D printers in each of its 400,000 elementary schools. In the U.S., are adding 3D printers into schools at a good rate, particularly into CAD programs, but also into traditional art and social studies classrooms and even business programs.
If 3D printing is starting a new industrial revolution, it is well on its way to revolutionizing teaching and learning as well. The result of bringing these tools into classrooms is a rekindling of the powerful pedagogy of hands-on learning. As 3D-VET project demonstrates, 3D printing leverages hands-on learning to deepen our educational approach to traditional educational subjects.
Equipping learners to understand the application and potential of this new type of technology will be important to helping prepare them for a world in which similar technologies will be increasingly commonplace, particularly in STEM contexts.
3D printers are gaining popularity internationally across education. So far the technology has been restricted largely to Design and Technology (DT) classrooms. There is considerable potential, however, for them to be used within a range of educational subjects, for example to enable links to be made between mathematics, design and physics in a similar way to, for example, ‘sound’ enabling links between music, physics (wave properties), biology (hearing) and engineering (concert hall design).
Description
In recent past years, inception of 3D printing has reached to reality and growing fast with pace to develop new technologies for almost all fields. In Greece growth of 3D printing technology and its application in multiple areas for the benefit of society is often limited by various users. Globally, 3D printing on larger scale is used to empower educators and learners in order to create more effective ways of learning and to perform better with 3D printed models in classrooms. This project addresses the increasing need of use of 3D printing technology in educational environments and discuss numerous examples of the same field already applied in Europe.
3D printers have a powerful role to play in the classroom. In addition to strong curricular connections to modern standards, these machines support 21st century pedagogies that not only engage students in their present learning but teach them how to be “tinkerers” in learning the rest of their lives. Schools and training institutes wishing to introduce 3D printing technologies into teaching of STEM and design subjects need to factor in time required to train teachers and embed new approaches to teaching. This allows teachers starting from a lower base of expertise in 3D technologies adequate time to reflect on the various possibilities and to work with other teachers to develop and implement their ideas.
The project highlights the need for good quality upfront training of teachers when introducing new technologies including teaching approaches, and effective use of 3D printers in education. And will do so by providing a competitive training programme specialised for the VET teachers and educators, based on international experiences. The training programme will support teachers and educators to acquire the knowledge, skills and competencies needed for the use of 3D printers on several educational subjects being taught in VET sector.
Objectives
PRIMARY RESULT: THE 3D PRINTING TRAINING PROGRAMME
The project will firstly investigate the essential skills and competences that a VET educator/ teacher should have in order to use a 3D printer in a VET class. Based on research activities (IO1 and IO2), partners will proceed to the definition of the standard key competencies for VET teachers in the field.
With skills mapping we aim to develop an innovative training programme, tailored to VET teachers and educators that are teaching several subjects and disciplines (eg. science, technology, engineering, mathematics, physics, biology, arts; sculpture, architecture, painting, etc). The proposed training course’s aims to prepare VET teachers and educators to apply and use 3D printers in their classes. The training programme developed under this grant will consist of modules covering several subtopics and will be delivered via online learning platform. The modularized training programme will permit trainees to test out of particular modules or subtopics if they have past experience in an area.
SECONDARY RESULT: AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
The 3D Printing Network will be incorporated and will be named the official proprietor of the pilot training course. It will license Network members to offer the course nationally. Although initially limited to six countries, it will be our goal -once the grant is over- to expand the network to include additional partners and additional countries. The Moodle training course will then be adapted to the needs of new partners with the addition of new educational material and professionals/ interested parties across Europe will be given the opportunity to enroll at a participation fee, which ensure the project's viability after its completion.
THIRD RESULT: A MODEL FOR TECHNOLOGY−ASSISTED PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING AND DELIVERY OF TRAINING COURSES
A very important bi−product of the project will be the development of a model for the use of communication technology to facilitate the development and delivery of training courses. The communication methods to be employed in this project could be used to build learning communities for educational purposes, however, may also be employed for project development and management. What we intend, in short, is to develop a model of technology-assisted project management and training delivery which we will adapt to educational needs.
UNINETTUNO Role
UNINETTUNO, Italy, carries out both didactic and research activities on 3D Printing. By the research point of view, UNINETTUNO has collaboration with the Italian National Research Council, and more specific collaboration on activities that focuses on the study of new printing technologies and on the mechanical characterization of 3D printed materials. For this reason they will undertake the leadership of IO1 – Research Report on 3D Printing Education. They will contribute to all IOs, training and dissemination activities, and will translate material into Italian in cooperation with CEIPES.
Partners
| Partners | Country | Contacts | Web |
| KEKAPER - Region of Crete - Lifelong Learning, Education And Employment Department - Development Direction Rethymno Regional Unit- Region Of Crete | Grecia | Contacts | Web |
| European Education & Learning Institute | Grecia | Contacts | Web |
| Karlsruher Institut Fuer Technologie | Germany | Contacts | Web |
| CEIPES - Centro Internazionale per la Promozione dell'educazione e lo Sviluppo | Italy | Contacts | Web |
| Escola Técnica de Imagem e Comunicação Aplicada | Portugal | Contacts | Web |
| International Telematic University UNINETTUNO | Italy | Contacts | Web |
| Wyzsza Szkola Ekonomii I Innowacji W Lublinie | Poland | Contacts | Web |
| Inercia Digital | Spain | Contacts | Web |