A recent article in Education Week revealed how a Virginia school attracted global visitors interested in its 3-D printing classes.
Buford Middle School science students crafted their own sound speakers from plastic and paper using 3-D printers and computer-design software as Japanese news crews producing a segment for TV kept close watch. The TV show will feature the class as an example of efforts in the U.S. to bring more technology into the classroom.“I think it’s interesting that they’re including 3-D computerization and printing into the education program at this level and what it means for the future job training in the U.S.,” said Takashi Yanagisawa, a correspondent with Japans’s Nippon Television.
Buford Middle School is participating with Piedmont Virginia Community College and the University of Virginia. The program is the result of a $300,000 state grant to create a “laboratory school for advanced manufacturing technologies.” The district hopes to extend the program to 7–12 graders in future years. The program’s mission is to prepare students for high-tech jobs and provide future teachers with experience in combining engineering concepts and traditional science education.
University officials hope the concept is eventually adopted by schools across the nation.
Neighboring Virginia counties will be adding the program to their middle school curriculum in the near future. All classes are intended to be linked to one another by the University of Virginia via videoconferencing. The lab school plans to offer courses to 500+ eighth graders next year, and each school year following will add another grade level, eventually reaching high schools.
The program has come a long way since first being introduced last semester. As the article mentions, the first class to attempt to create 3-D speakers didn’t have all of the equipment. They understood the process and were able to manufacture some of the project, but the end result wasn’t functional. The class that was filmed by Japanese news crews, however, produced fully functioning speakers.
What about the cost? The article mentions that the price of 3-D printers has dropped considerably over the past two years. Machines that once cost $20,000 now can be purchased for $1,000 or less, making this program surprisingly affordable. And, as The University of Virginia continues to develop software and coursework that can be replicated nationwide, the program has the potential to reach classes across the U.S.—or even globally.
Additional ISM articles of interest
ISM Monthly Update for Trustees Vol. 9 No. 8 Technology in the Classroom
Private School News Vol. 9 No. 12 Technology in the Classroom: Is the U.S. Behind Other Nations?
Additional ISM articles of interest for Gold Consortium members
I&P Vol. 35 No. 3 The 21st Century School: Curriculum and Technology
