Thanks to the “Laboratories of the Future” program, which was implemented in 2021-2022 in Polish primary schools, many students received the opportunity to work with 3D printers and all complementary technologies for the first time. Although in practice the course of the program itself was “different” and not everywhere it is possible to fully use its potential, the fact is that for the first time in history primary schools received a unique opportunity to purchase good quality equipment that fits into the broadly understood “new technologies” “, giving students a chance to get acquainted with devices that they either could not afford or were not a significant purchasing priority for them.
In fact, the key problem that schools have to face is the lack of comprehensive 3D printing training so that this knowledge is effectively passed on to students. Some teachers find a natural talent in this area and, thanks to their own commitment, master the secrets of 3D printing in a relatively short time, later conducting interesting and engaging lessons – the rest, however, do not and are left with this topic without much idea what to do next? In this case, classes with 3D printers become just another duty to fulfill – without passion and with minimal commitment.
At the same time, there are many companies and organizations in the educational space that support teachers in implementing 3D printing technology, conducting classes with children and naturally filling the gap, which for systemic reasons is not quick and easy to patch. An example of such an initiative is the cooperation between Edu3dkacja Łódź and the REMAKE IT GREEN Foundation, which jointly conduct classes for children in the area of ecological 3D printing combined with designing applications for the blind and creating them on 3D printers using Braille.
The Edu3dkacja Łódź company has been operating in the Łódź Voivodeship for two years, conducting classes for children and adults in the field of modern technologies, such as 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D design, implementation of artificial intelligence and basic programming. The company’s mission is to provide children and young people with information about the technologies of tomorrow and to instil in them passion and interest in this area. This can significantly facilitate their start into the future and develop the skills required on the changing labor market. Edu3dkacja Łódź conducts cyclical classes in primary schools, kindergartens, as well as summer camps and events. It also conducts trainings for teachers and pedagogues. The company is run by enthusiasts of new technologies – brothers Adam and Jarosław Wojciechowski.
The REMAKE IT GREEN Foundation deals with training in the area of 3D printing and related technologies, with an emphasis on its ecological dimension. The organization was founded in early 2022 by Anna and Paweł Ślusarczyk – one of the most famous and influential figures in the Polish 3D printing industry, involved in many projects that help and support those in need. The organization is non-profit and aims to promote a new approach to life, consumption and manufacturing technologies that satisfy them. He conducts workshops for children, teenagers and adults promoting 3D printing technology, the use of ecological ‘green’ materials and solutions, as well as helps to create applications for the blind and visually impaired as part of the Braille3D project.
At the beginning of 2023, Edu3dkacja Łódź and REMAKE IT GREEN established close cooperation. As part of it, during cyclical extracurricular activities conducted by Edu3dkacja Łódź, representatives of the foundation talk about ecology in everyday life and teach the basics of designing everyday objects with inscriptions / markings made in Braille.
During classes, students receive, for example, pre-printed plates with their own name – written in two variants, and their task is then to design their own things in the Tinkercad environment and apply previously prepared inscriptions to them. Students are also informed about the basic principles of creating inscriptions in Braille, the correct application of them to the applications they create, as well as the most effective and functional printing them from the perspective of a blind person.
Schools interested in cooperation in this area can contact representatives of Edu3dkacja Łódź or the REMAKE IT GREEN Foundation in order to learn about the possibilities and effects it gives.
Source: www.remakeitgreen.com
Photos: Edu3dkacja Łódź & REMAKE IT GREEN
