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In STEM programs nationwide we’re seeing a shift away from instructor-centered teaching methods to those that more student-centered.
One concept driving this change is active learning. All active learning methods aim to rid classrooms of passive notetaking in favor turning students into engaged, critical thinkers.
One method in particular – project- or problem-based learning – has proven to be especially successful in K-12 and college environments.
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Problem-based learning is an instructional approach in which students learn about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem. Students learn both thinking strategies and domain knowledge.
Consider team sports: When kids play on a basketball team they learn by being given guidance by a coach while playing on the court – not from watching on the sidelines and trying to figure out how to play the game later.
The same is true in the classroom. When students use their hands and create, they are engaged. The ability to see, touch, show and explain the physical results of their efforts gives students a sense of accomplishment.
Moreover, when teachers guide students toward solving problems by doing, students are more likely to retain the concepts and principles they learn.
3D printers are one of the latest tools used in problem based learning. 3D printing allows students to investigate or explore or design or build something that engages them in any subject area, from physics to art to engineering.
With 3D printers, students can design anything and construct working models. They can build without construction equipment or making molds and design and print objects they would not be able to do by hand. The motivation to solve a problem becomes the motivation to learn.
To learn more about how introducing 3D printing into STEM curricula aids in the transition to problem-based learning, download the Learning by Doing white paper from MakerBot.
