siliconindia | | October 201619Using 3D Printing to bring experiential learning to the grassroots will help primary & secondary school students understand their subjects better3D PRINTING: THE NEW FRONTRUNNER IN EDTECH Two Pronged Approach First, use Additive Manufacturing to bring experiential learning to the grassroots; help primary and secondary school students understand their school subjects better. Schools ought to invest time, money and effort to set up Design Technology Laboratories with 3D Printers at the heart of it all. A class 10th Bio school teacher will find a 3D Printed physical model of a heart handy while explaining its parts and functionalities to her students. Imagine a scenario where students have a scheduled Design Thinking class within their school time table; they are not constrained to sit and listen to the teacher as is traditionally done: they are free to roam around and do some tinkering here and there, maybe sketch draft designs on 3D Pens. A 3D Printing ecosystem works on the approach of learning by experiencing. Letting students have their controlled freedom can assist educators nurture creativity, problem solving and foster innovation at the grassroot level. Second, offer advanced skill training courses in Advanced Manufacturing technologies in integration with existing Product Design and Prototyping courses, to begin with. Even Architecture students in the West have discovered great utility of Additive Manufacturing methods to undertake complex projects. In India, only a few institutes like IIT-Bombay have a dedicated Industrial Design Centre (IDC) to assist learners to undertake valuable hardware research projects. The Indian Muddle: What Needs to be Done Foremost, forget Advanced Technologies like 3D Printing. Where is our everyday scientific temper headed? There simply aren't enough quality science communities around us. Awareness about global technological advancements doesn't reach young minds. Whose responsibility is it to develop such platforms where technical information can be exchanged firsthand? Is Internet as a channel of exchange alone enough? For educators to invest effort and money in such experiential learning initiatives as 3D Printing in education, we as a society in its whole should respect the values such projects create. Shortage of skilled labour deserves a highlight as well. Industries in India are interested, yet hesitant to adopt 3D Printing in Rapid Prototyping, primarily due to unavailability of labour skilled in Additive Manufacturing. The Central Government's initiatives like Skill India and installation of 3D Printers in Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in 500 schools under the banner of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) stand out. What is further needed is a better coordination of the public sector with the efforts of private players like 3Dexter; leaders that have been raising awareness and assisting educational institutions in establishing a rigorous curriculum in 3D Printing. EdTech businesses on their part ought to lay foundations of such Design Communities where a diverse set of groups share ideas and more importantly, respect the `maker' inside others. A student of class 7th studying in a Foundations course in 3D Printing should be well connected to an Automotive Product Designer. Inspiration comes two ways. 3D Printing in Education is a disruption. Technology helps translate ideas into physical reality quicker; hence promises to deliver innovation through a young mind. EdTech Business Models need to be as efficient in pushing for new benchmarks in technology assisted learning in schools and higher education institutions. This time, let's start with India first.
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