Design and fabrication and schools - 3D printers news
I started looking at educational issues and other conceptual aspects of digital design and fabrication and this will take some time before I am done. In the meantime, I suggest reading the British Design and Technology association's Response to the National Curriculum Review. It's a form, but there is a lot of information that I will exploit, e.g. its very good bibliography. In particular, there is a growing literature suggesting that design and fabrication is both highly motivating and that students learn something.
Right now, I just started taking notes, e.g. here:
- Design and technology in England's national curriculum
- Fab labs in education
- 3D printers in education
- Computerized embroidery in education
- A synthesis may appear by the end of december 2011 in Digital design and fabrication in education
Also, the first easy to assemble European 3D printer is out. The designer has a good background in mechatronics and that's the only evaluation criteria I found for now.
- Felix 1.0. Also shortly described in my list in 3D printing.
The Netherlands now seems to have become the leading nation in low cost 3D printing (other companies include Mendel Parts and Ultimaker). This isn't a big surprise given that the Dutch also had the first European FabLab and that Universities are open to change and new fields.
