12 SSSAS Fall/Winter Magazine 2013

Most of us think of printers as using only paper and ink. But SSSAS students are discovering how to create objects made of plastic that they design themselves—using 3D printers. This innovative tool promotes creativity, critical thinking skills, collaborative design, and teamwork. It's another way to teach our students the 21st century skills needed to thrive in our complex and changing world.

3D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional, solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. Computer software is used to create a three-dimensional design and then instruct the printer how to lay out drops of plastic, which will create the object. The 3D printer works by melting and then extruding the plastic through a small nozzle. This plastic is built up, bit-by-bit, layer-by-layer, until it creates the desired shape.

St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School currently has three different 3D printers. The Lower School has The Cube, located in the MacKinnon Hall technology education lab. Students in the Rocket Club have been using the machine to print out nose cones and other parts for their rockets. Additionally, a group of students has used the 3D printer as the focus of their morning report video podcast.

The Upper School has the MakerBot Replicator and the Makergear M2, located in the Upper School technology lab. Both printers are used in the Gateway to Technology class

taught by Richard Rho, technology education department chair and teacher. The students in Mr. Rho's class are learning about 3D printing and are using the machines to print out designs that they have downloaded from www.thingiverse.com. This website is where people share their 3D designs, and students can download, modify, and print them out to use. Additionally, the Upper School plans to introduce a 3D printing and 3D modeling class in the near future.

Last spring, the Middle School used the MakerBot printer for a three-day, in-depth "Dream Home Design" mini-course, where students learned about three-dimensional design. Information Technology Director Colleen McNeil gave a demonstration of the Makerbot to the class and answered questions about how it works. Eddie Chu, SSSAS Class of 1993, uses 3D printing in his daily work as an artist. He said our students will benefit from learning this new technology now. "I think the most practical thing SSSAS students will get from using these printers is a working knowledge of 3D modeling," he said. "The process of making those models is very particular and has quirks due to how young the technology is. So the earlier one gets in, the more advantageous it will be later as the technology matures."

Our faculty are continuing to explore creative ways to implement this technology in their classrooms and grow the curious minds of our inventive students.

Print It Now: In 3D

Information Technology Director Colleen McNeil demonstrates how the Makerbot works during the Middle School mini-course, "Dream Home Design."

Interviewing Collaborating Researching TestingBrainstorming ObservingProblem-solving

Critical-thinking

Decision-making

Communicating Empathizing