Database #2 - 3D Printing, ELA Integration & Student Engagement

 Introduction: 

This past school year, I accepted a new position at a public charter school called STEM Innovation Academy. Technology at my new school included 3D printers, robotics kits, laser cutters, one-to-one laptops and so much more. It was a major learning curve to try and integrate all these diverse technologies into my Humanities classroom. Over the course of the year, I did learn about the online digital design platform TinkerCAD and how it could be used to 3D print students work. Now, I am interested in learning about how 3D printing can be meaningfully integrated into the ELA classroom. The end goal of this research is to create a database of resources for ELA teachers to be able to use when considering 3D printing.  

Update to Introduction on 07/20/2022: 

After reading several scholarly articles, it has become clear that there is not a lot of data collected on 3D printing and ELA instruction. As the article A Systematic Review of Empirical Research on Learning with 3D Printing Technology (2021) puts it “the small number of studies in non-STEM subjects suggests that this research area has been mostly unexplored” (Novak, Brannon, Librea-Carden & Haas, p. 1472). Therefore, most of the information collected below is from teachers' blogs, YouTube channels and educational websites. There are a few scholarly articles linked below, but it appears that more research in this area needs to be conducted. 

 

Resource #1: Pencils to 3D-Printers 

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, February 7). Pencils to 3d-printers: A new kind of language arts class. TweenTeacher. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from http://tweenteacher.com/2016/02/07/pencils-to-3d-printers-a-new-kind-of-language-arts-class/ 

In the blog post Pencils to 3D-Printers (2016), Heather Wolpert-Gawron explores how technology like 3D printers can impact the learning of low academically developed students. Wolpert-Gawron writes about 3D printing as a process which needs to include reflection on both failures and successes. Please see the additional notes I pulled from the article below: 

• Working with students who are low academically as they are often overlooked to use technology for the more academically inclined students (para. 2) 
• Why can’t ELA reading, and writing be inspired by STEM? Would this help students that are not interested in ELA to succeed? (para. 7) 
• 3D Printing is all about failure – It's okay to fail at a print, but you need to keep trying, which is like the writing or reading process (para. 13) 
• Have students write reflections on the 3D printing process – How did the print go? Did it fail? What are your next steps in learning (para. 14) 

 

Resource #2: 3D Printing & Design to Learning Reading & Writing 

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, June 17). Lessons to share: 3d printing and design to learn reading & writing. TweenTeacher. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from http://tweenteacher.com/2016/06/17/lessons-to-share-3d-printing-and-design-to-learn-reading-writing/ 

This is another post from Heather Wolpert-Gawron's blog “TweenTeacher.” In this blog post titled 3D Printing and Design to Learn Reading and Writing (2016), Wolpert-Gawron explores the integration of 3D printing in the literacy classroom. Specifically, Wolpert-Gawron connects 3D printing to novel studies, writing, and the research process. Please see my notes below for more information: 

• The goal of 3D Printing and literacy is to “make learning how to read and write more concrete, more meaningful, and more hands-on.” (para. 2) 
• Create a portfolio to showcase students successes and failures with 3D printing – This could be an online website to further the technology theme (para. 4) 
• Connect your 3D printing to a novel and find a real-world problem to solve – This teacher is using “I am Malala,” and connecting it to advocacy (para. 7) 
• Name the 3D printers after famous authors, figures, etc. and ask students to research these individuals and/or allow students to name them through research (para. 12) 
• Have students create something like a Rube Goldberg using the 3D printers and then ask them to write a step-by-step procedure about how they created it and/or how their machine will work (para. 18) 

 

Resource #3: Using Pokémon Go in my 3D Printing/ELA Class 

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2016, August 21). Gotta catch 'em all: Using pokemon go in my 3D printing/ela class. TweenTeacher. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from http://tweenteacher.com/2016/08/21/gotta-catch-em-all-using-pokemon-go-in-my-3d-printingela-class/ 

The blog “TweenTeacher,” by Heather Wolpert-Gawron is truly a great resource for 3D printing integration in the ELA classroom. In this blog post titled Gotta Catch Em’ All: Using Pokemon Go in my 3D Printing/ELA Class (2016), Wolpert-Gawron details a lesson that she completed with her students using the popular game Pokémon Go. Within this lesson, students were tasked with various writing activities, as well as critical reading and thinking challenges. Check out my notes below for more specific information on this lesson: 

• Connect your ELA/3D printing to some sort of pop culture to further engage students (para. 1) 
• Created a scavenger hunt for students to find 3D printer Pokémon using their reading skills – Some of the clues were straightforward reading, while others asked the students to infer things (para. 4) 
• Pokémon Scavenger Hunt involved 4 writing assignments to advance in the scavenger hunt: 
• Writing #1: Write a meaningful quote and memorize to be shared later to receive a clue (para. 7) 
• Writing #2: Research a topic and write a haiku about that topic, which again needed to be shared to receive their next clue (para. 8) 
• Writing #3: Explored a video about 3D printing and then wrote a paragraph that shared positives and negatives about the video. This would be shared to receive their next clue (para. 9) 
• Writing #4: Write a card to congratulate someone on a success, which would give them their next clue again (para. 10) 
• After students completed the Pokémon Go scavenger hunt, their next step would be to create their own by 3D printing the characters and writing a step-by-step procedure for it (para. 12) 
• Added meaning to this activity – Students will be creating scavenger hunts for other classes in the building, so they want to make them good (para. 13) 

 

Resource #4: How to Use 3D Printing in Reading Class 

Lynch, M. (2018, September 11). How to use 3d printing in reading class. The Tech Edvocate. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.thetechedvocate.org/how-to-use-3d-printing-in-reading-class/ 

In the article How to Use 3D Printing in Reading Class (2018), Matthew Lynch details some activities that can be completed using 3D printers in the ELA classroom. Some of the highlights of this article's activities are listed below: 

• Connect to non-fiction reading and allow students to print an artifact that they read about or a scientific invention (para. 3) 
• Ask students to write about their failures and successes with the printers (para. 4) 
• Have students read a passage on a character which is detailed and then have them design this character – Encourages students to read critically and pay attention to details (para. 5) 
• Have students write their own character description and then design and print their character using the 3D printers (para. 5) 

 

Resource #5: 3D Design in Language Arts 

The Nerdy Teacher. (2017, May 13). 3D design in language arts #makered. The Nerdy Teacher. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/2017/05/3d-design-in-language-arts-makered.html 

This article on the Nerdy Teacher website has great examples of student work that has been 3D printed based on a literary theme. The article also details some activities that can be included in the ELA classroom using 3D printing. Please see my notes below for some more information. You may also want to check out the Nerdy Teacher website for more specific information including exemplars of his students 3D printing work.  

• Project Based Learning is a good method to use for ELA and 3D printing as it allows students to show their understanding using this technology (para. 2) 
• Ask students to design and print a symbol that represents a book and then have them write an artist statement that details how this symbol is representative (para. 3) 
• "How are you giving students the opportunity to demonstrate understanding beyond a poster board, power point, or multiple choice test?" (para. 13) 

 

Resource #6: 3D Printing in the Classroom 

Kirkley, B. (2022, July 11). 3D printing in the classroom. iHeartSTEAM. Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://iheartsteam.com/3d-printing-in-the-classroom/ 

Although this article does not relate to ELA instruction and 3D printing, I thought it was a good resource to include in my database because it speaks to the design process. Bonnie Kirkley writes about keeping a continuous design journal throughout the 3D printing process. Kirkley also writes about student engagement and confidence building during 3D printing. Please see the notes I pulled from the article below for more information: 

• 3D printing in the classroom creates the biggest achievements and confidence with students. (para. 7) 
• Everyone watches and guesses what it might be that the printer is printing. - Inferencing and inquiry is happening (para. 9) 
• Students must have a purpose for their 3D print that they need to flush out using the Design Journal. In the journal, students are asked to research, write about, draw and reflect upon their 3D print (para. 10) 
• Each new design begins with a driving question – What can be solved using this 3D print? (para. 13) 
• Next steps all need to be labelled and described with detail (para. 13) 
• Keeping a solid Design Journal allows them to use their designs when creating, making changes, and figuring out when improvements are needed (para. 13) 

 

Resource #7: 3D Printers Allow Home Replication of Famous Sculptures 

KPBS Public Media. (2013). 3D printers allow home replication of famous sculptures. YouTube. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from 3D Printers Allow Home Replication of Famous Sculptures 

This video does not relate to the world of education specifically, but while I viewed it, I was inspired by the work of artist Cosmo Wenman. Using 3D design and printing, Wenman creates replicas of famous art pieces that people can hold to view the intricacies of them. The ideas that I brainstormed while watching this video are listed below: 

• Create copies of ancient pieces of art and/or sculptures  
• Can we inspire students to print famous artwork and then write about it in detail? 
• Could we have students design an artwork and then write an artist statement? 
• Can students connect the artwork they design to a theme in a novel? 
• Could students write a poem about their artwork? 
• Meaningful connection the real-world – Museums are now 3D Printing their artifacts to keep records of them just in case 
• Could holding a replica of an art piece inspire students to write with more depth and detail because they can hold it and view it up close? 

 

Resource #8: Learning with 3D Printing Technology 

Novak, E., Brannon, M., Librea‐Carden, M. R., & Haas, A. L. (2021). A systematic review of empirical research on learning with 3d printing technology. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(5), 1455–1478. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12585 

In this article, the authors examined a large database of 3D printing research to find the benefits and drawbacks of the technology. Throughout the article, information on the design process was explored which I thought could fit with ELA content. However, the authors of this article also stated that more research needs to be completed to truly understand the integration of 3D printing in non-STEM related classrooms. Please see the notes I pulled from this article below: 

• 3D printing can promote cross-disciplinary skills that require students to connect ideas from the field of engineering and technology with concepts from other disciplines (p. 1455) 
• 3D printing designs are often based on real-world problems which create more authentic learning experiences for students (p. 1455) 
• First step in the design process - develop an understanding of the design challenge through the exploration of relevant resources and materials, brainstorm and analyse ideas, and only then start designing their 3D models (p. 1455) 
• Cross disciplinary STEM opportunities - greater student awareness, interest, motivation, and achievement (p. 1456) 
• The final printed design is not always the most meaningful part of the 3D print. Make sure you also have students (p. 1469): 
• Reflectively think about their design/print 
• Gather research/information that may help them 
• Examine multiple solutions to their problem 
• Engage in effective communication and teamwork 
• Recognize possible failure and that it is okay to redesign 
• Very little guidance for integrating 3DP activities into non-STEM curricula (I.e., literacy, social studies, etc.) and the small number of studies in non-STEM subjects suggests that this research area has been mostly unexplored (p. 1472) 

 

Resource #9: Innovation from Below 

Philip-Nichols, T. (2020). Innovation from below: Infrastructure, design, and equity in literacy classroom makerspaces. Research in the Teaching of English, 55(1), 56–81. https://ocul- qu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_QU/15tp3o5/cdi_proquest_journals_2450656189 

This article outlines the integration of a makerspace framework that included 3D printing into a Humanities classroom. The benefit of this article is that it included actual students' feedback on the design process, as well as teacher comments. I also like this article because it details some of the negatives of integrating makerspace technology into the ELA classroom. Please see my notes below for more details: 

• Writing should be seen as a process, rather than a product – Can be compared to the process of 3D printing (p. 58) 
• Writing process includes planning, drafting and revising, just like the 3D printing design process includes (p. 58) 
• Instead of teachers guiding students through units, instruction was now organized into unit “playlists”—lists of coordinated activities, lessons, videos, and readings, each of which built up to a thematic project – Students could work through the design process at their own pace (p. 66) 
• Students could choose a social justice issue and create a writing piece for it and then 3D print an artifact that symbolizes this issue (p. 67) 
• Some students find that the integration of 3D printing into the literacy classroom is chaotic – the volumes and movement of this classroom are distracting for those still in the writing process (p. 70) 
• Could this be fixed by having a separate space for writing and a separate space for the 3D printing? 
• Workshop structure for literacy/reading can connect to the workshop structure that is often used in 3D design (p. 71) 
• “Design has a contested disciplinary history, but it has emerged, in recent years, as a flexible process for solving problems, organizing practices, and creating products in a range of spheres, from commercial entrepreneurship to feminist activism” (p. 71) 
• The Design Process is universal and can be integrated into any classroom (p. 72) 
• Unit on the American Dream (p. 72): 
• Discover and Define Phases – Students would watch clips from Hamilton and explore their own thoughts/feelings of the American Dream 
• Design, Develop and Deliver Phases – Students designed and created an artifact (3D Print) that symbolized their knowledge and thoughts/feelings of the American Dream 

 

Resources that Proved to Be Unrelated: 

As I did with my Robotics Database, I wanted to include the resources that I found that were promising, but ultimately did not work for my goal. My hope of including these resources is to show that I did actively reflect on my distal goal while viewing articles, blog posts, videos, etc.  

 

Resource #10: Integrating Technology into Teaching 

Curry, J., & Whitney-Emberton, J. (2016). Review of integrating educational technology into teaching. TechTrends, 60(2), 190–191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0032-9 

This article had promise as in the abstract it listed 3D printing as one of the technologies that it would explore. Unfortunately, after viewing the resource I learned that it was simply a scholarly review of the book Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. The actual book may have been a promising resource to add to my database, but not this review article.  

 

Resource #11: The Effect of an Integrated STEM Course on Middle School Students’ Interest and Career Aspirations in STEM Fields 

Richardson, S. (2016). The effect of an integrated stem course on middle school students’ interest and career aspirations in stem fields. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. https://ocul- qu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_QU/15tp3o5/cdi_proquest_journals_1816212921 

This article was appealing to me because I thought it would detail some information on student engagement in technology like 3D printing. After reading the article, I found that it was more focused on STEM learning and integration in science and math classes. No critical information was included about student engagement or 3D printing integration in the ELA classroom.  

 

Resource #12: Stemtrails 

Heffernan, V. (2020). Stemtrails. Wired, 28(1), 15. https://ocul-qu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_QU/15tp3o5/cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_2334013097 

While reading this article, I was interested in the information that was written as it was an ELA teachers critique of the STEM movement. Several great ideas were raised about the functionality of STEM learning, but overall, the article did not add anything to my knowledge of 3D printing in the ELA classroom. However, I would recommend reading this article for a different perspective on STEM education.