3D Printing – TinkerPlay to Represent Characters

tinkerplay

Tinkerplay is our latest app to play with to create 3D printouts.   We have a Year 4 class studying ‘Rowan of Rin’ as a QUEST novel.   They are at the point where they have blogged about the characters and their development and about events in the story.    One of the Year 4 classes are designing shields to represent characters.  We have printed a few of them.  Another of the Year 4 classes are currently using apps to create 3D models to represent characters.   Tinkerplay is one of the apps they are using.  We can’t wait to see what they produce!

This is my attempt at Tinkerplay and it was quite exciting as I hadn’t printed multiple parts or models yet – I was excited to get back this morning to see how my second tray had gone and to put all the parts together.

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Gimmick?  A bit of fun?  Or meaningful and valid teaching and learning strategy to engage, connect and ignite?

I think it is important that teachers use whatever necessary to connect children to their curriculum topics they are studying.   I think children should be provided with options to enable them to explore, create, collaborate and communicate.    For some, 3D printing might just be the tool that brings their learning alive.

Additionally, 3D printing is only in its infancy.  There is no doubt that 3D printing is going to develop and evolve more quickly than we can imagine.  It’s going to play an enormous role in manufacturing, in any career which has a STEM component and in any career that includes prototyping and a design process.     If our role is to prepare students for the future, the use of emerging technologies like 3D printing simply makes sense.

Is it  necessary for students to enjoy learning?

 

 

 

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