3D Design and Printing

What are the potential pros and cons of using 3D design and print at the school and grade level you hope to teach at?

The grade range I hope to teach is Kindergarten to Grade 2.

Pros — Some pros about TinkerCad for the grade range I would like to teach is I can relate to the different geometric shapes in the geometry unit. If I don’t have the physical blocks of the shapes in my class, then I could pull up the TinkerCad resource and show my students the different 3D shapes. Another pro of using 3D design is promoting patience and problem solving skills. If there was a lesson that required students to use TinkerCad, students will need to have the patience to be able to learn how the program works. Additionally with problem solving skills, students would be able to develop those skills by being able to solve the problem themselves (aka fostering independence).

Cons — Some cons of using 3D design, is the amount of time needed to teach the students how to use the program. With that time, it would be easier to use a different resource with this age group. In addition, once students learn how to use TinkerCad, teacher will still have to circulate around the class to ensure students are understanding what is expected. Another con is student will be staring at the screens for a long period of time. In this generation, students are already exposed to a lot of screen time, so adding this resource on top of lessons will increase the amount of screen time students are getting.

Resource — Reviews from other educators about TinkerCad. Includes pros and cons, how to teach with Tinkercad, what is it, is it good for learning, overall learning ratings, real educator reviews, etc.

https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/tinkercad