The fully online course intended for teachers, librarians, curriculum specialists, campus techs and others will be chunked into 5 modules. Within each of those 5 modules, there will be a variety of activities such as discussion posts, videos to watch questions to respond to with the videos, and example student lessons to review. My reasons for integrating those example student lessons are two-fold. It is a way of simplifying the instruction, but also modeling how the content could potentially be introduced to students.

Another goal is to include a variety of activities in order to model various digital tools. I also intend to include sections pulled from online resources such as free courses. Some of these include Dremel, We are Print Lab, and Tinkercad. These sections of the content will be grouped into very brief videos that also include practice STL files for the teachers to use. Additionally, I intend to include formative assessments such as:

• brief quizzes
• assignments that require the participants to show proof of hands-on usage of their printer and reflections

Participants will have choice in the way they submit their documentation of practice. It may be photos or videos. I plan to build in predictability at the end of the module reflections by using common questions:

• Write or record a reflection about your experiences in which you address:
  • What worked?
  • What didn’t work?
  • How will this affect your approach with students?

I will include a synchronous weekly meeting that is not lecture-based. It can be a time of sharing and reflection as well as Time for tips and suggestions. The synchronous meetings will be optional as the recordings will be shared.

The elementary staff that will access this course are very familiar with Schoology, so that will not be an obstacle. However, I will be extra careful to include clear directions in multiple formats as well as images that guide the learner. One goal of this course is not just to share the contact with staff, but to model quality online course design so that they may transfer to that their own courses.

According to Figure 7.7 in Tony Bates’ Teaching in a Digital Age, the activities that I have chosen fall all over the continuum from objectivist to constructivist to connectivist. These activities also have a range of learner control versus teacher control. The main aim of my course is for staff members to practice activities that are engaging to them, fit authentically into their curriculum and that they may enthusiastically share with their learners. As this course is completely elective, I want it to be engaging, meaningful, time well spent.

The last two weeks of this largely self-paced course, largely inspired by Dremel’s Digilab Introduction of Dremel 3D Printing are outlined below:

Note: Links to the LMS are only operational for members of the course. For full access to the course, please create a Schoology account and contact me for the

TASKS & ACTIVITIES

Week 4 Tasks & Activities

Week 4 Lessons Content – You will want to consider how you will approach 3-D printing in your classroom. Because of the cost of materials and the length of time it takes to print, you will likely not be printing an item for every single student every day, or even with every project or unit. You will also want to consider how 3D printing may fit within your pacing calendar so that it does not feel like an additional thing to do.

Also, you’re probably not likely to find a premade lesson that fits in right with your curriculum. You will need to get creative!

How do you envision yourself using 3D printing with students? Consider these options:

Week 4 Lessons Discussion – How do you envision yourself using 3D printing with students? Consider these options: (Same as the ones listed in first content page) Which of these options feels the most comfortable with your teaching style, available technology, and time?

• All students stepping through lessons together (TinkerCad orBlocksCad) during class or computer lab time.
• Students exploring TinkerCad, BlocksCad, SketchUp on their own time at school or at home.
• Students working as a in groups to design one object.
• 3-D printing an object could be one of many choices that students have when practicing a lesson or a product in a project or performance assessment. 

Lesson Plan Resources:

• Makerbot
• Dremel
• Blockscad
• MakersEmpire
• We Are 3D Print
• Various Books
• Instructional Focus Document
• Teachers Pay Teachers

Week 4 Lessons Discussion – How do you envision yourself using 3D printing with students? Consider these options: (Same as the ones listed in first content page) Which of these options feels the most comfortable with your teaching style, available technology, and time?

Week 4 Lessons Assignment

• Part A Choose one of the lessons from the resources listed in this module.
• Work through the lesson with your students or a group of students. 
• Design a lesson in which your students with have an opportunity to 3D print. Outline the steps of the lesson, including all the of materials and resources you may need to successfully implement the lesson. Print a model of what students might create.

• Part B Share your creation (3D printed model)
  • Take screenshots of your creations and submit with this assignment
  • Write or record a reflection about your experiences in which you address:
    • What worked?
    • What didn’t work?
    • How will this affect your approach with students?

Week 5 Tasks & Activities

• Week 5 Projects – Content – Read the following linked articles about the link between design thinking and 3D printing.

• MakersEmpire – Design Thinking
• Project-based lesson ideas from MakersEmpire
• 3 Methods of Design Thinking – We Are Print Lab
• Why Design Thinking – Shapeways
• Use Design Thinking to Teach 3D Printing to Kids
• Learning Progress Blog Post

• Week 5 Projects – Content – Used the attached TeachThought planning documents for project-based learning.
• Week 5 – Projects Quick Quiz – key words, steps and theories in the Design Thinking process (multiple attempts permitted)
• Week 5 Projects Assignment –

• Part A Choose one of the projects from the resources listed in this module.
  • Work through the project with your students or a group of students. OR
  • Design a project in which your students with have an opportunity to design a 3D print model to solve a problem. Outline the steps of the project, including a list of the potential resources that students may need to successfully implement the lesson. Print a model of what students might create.

• Part B Share your creation (3D printed model)
  • Take screenshots of student creations and submit with this assignment
  • Write or record a reflection about your experiences in which you address:
    • What worked?
    • What didn’t work?
    • How will this affect your approach with students?

• Courses
• Lessons
• Videos
• Books
• Sites & Software

References:

• Bates, T. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: guidelines for designing teaching and learning (2nd ed.). BCCampus.

Note: Links to the LMS are only operational for members of the course. For full access to the course, please create a Schoology account and contact me for the access code.