The use of Tinkercad and 3D printing in interdisciplinary STEAM education: A focus on engineering design

Ana Barbosa; Isabel Vale; Dina Alvarenga; Ana Barbosa; Isabel Vale; Dina Alvarenga

doi:10.3934/steme.2024014

STEM Education

2024, Volume 4, Issue 3: 222-246. doi: 10.3934/steme.2024014

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The use of Tinkercad and 3D printing in interdisciplinary STEAM education: A focus on engineering design

1.
Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial Nun'Álvares, 34, 4900-347, Viana do Castelo, Portugal; anabarbosa@ese.ipvc.pt, isabel.vale@ese.ipvc.pt, dinalvarenga@ese.ipvc.pt
2.
inED, Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, Portugal
3.
CIEC, Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal

Academic Editor: Jane K. L. Teh

Received: 31 March 2024 Revised: 23 May 2024 Accepted: 29 May 2024 Published: 05 June 2024

STE(A)M education (combining science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) has globally become a growing concern, being recognized as having the potential to prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century. However, the levels of integration of the involved disciplines, as well as their relevance, tend to vary. Engineering design (ED) is being used in educational contexts as an ideal STEAM content integrator to solve ill-structured real-world problems, using the practices of engineering as a problem-solving model. The present study aimed to understand how future elementary school teachers can solve an authentic problem that demands the construction of an artifact, using the ED process in the context of 3D printing, focusing on their performance, the perception of the role of the STEAM disciplines, and the potentials and challenges of computer-assisted design (CAD) and 3D printing. We conducted a qualitative exploratory study with 72 pre-service teachers of elementary education. The implementation was based on a didactical experience focused on solving an authentic problem through the ED process using Tinkercad and 3D printing. The research findings revealed that some of the participants did not follow the ED model exactly as it was presented, skipping or merging steps, but all were able to find a solution and reflect about how to improve it. The majority identified concepts associated with all of the STEAM subjects, although they found it easier to refer to mathematics and science topics. They valued the use of Tinkercad and 3D printing, which allowed them to easily build a virtual model and make it tangible, while also recognizing some challenges in the use of these technological resources. This study can contribute to the scarce literature about the interdisciplinary integration of 3D printing technology in STEAM education, promoting awareness of the overlaps in these disciplines and a more equitable disciplinary attention.
- STEAM education,
- engineering design,
- problem-solving,
- interdisciplinarity,
- CAD,
- 3D printing,
- teacher education
Citation: Ana Barbosa, Isabel Vale, Dina Alvarenga. The use of Tinkercad and 3D printing in interdisciplinary STEAM education: A focus on engineering design[J]. STEM Education, 2024, 4(3): 222-246. doi: 10.3934/steme.2024014

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Abstract

STE(A)M education (combining science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) has globally become a growing concern, being recognized as having the potential to prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century. However, the levels of integration of the involved disciplines, as well as their relevance, tend to vary. Engineering design (ED) is being used in educational contexts as an ideal STEAM content integrator to solve ill-structured real-world problems, using the practices of engineering as a problem-solving model. The present study aimed to understand how future elementary school teachers can solve an authentic problem that demands the construction of an artifact, using the ED process in the context of 3D printing, focusing on their performance, the perception of the role of the STEAM disciplines, and the potentials and challenges of computer-assisted design (CAD) and 3D printing. We conducted a qualitative exploratory study with 72 pre-service teachers of elementary education. The implementation was based on a didactical experience focused on solving an authentic problem through the ED process using Tinkercad and 3D printing. The research findings revealed that some of the participants did not follow the ED model exactly as it was presented, skipping or merging steps, but all were able to find a solution and reflect about how to improve it. The majority identified concepts associated with all of the STEAM subjects, although they found it easier to refer to mathematics and science topics. They valued the use of Tinkercad and 3D printing, which allowed them to easily build a virtual model and make it tangible, while also recognizing some challenges in the use of these technological resources. This study can contribute to the scarce literature about the interdisciplinary integration of 3D printing technology in STEAM education, promoting awareness of the overlaps in these disciplines and a more equitable disciplinary attention.

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Author's biography Dr. Ana Barbosa is a professor of Mathematics Education at the School of Education of Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo in Portugal. She specializes in Child Studies, in the area of Elementary Mathematics. She is a researcher at the Centre for Research & Innovation in Education (inED). Among other topics, her research interests focus on didactics of mathematics, problem solving, visualization, algebraic thinking, active learning, outdoor mathematics education, and STEAM education. Dr; Dr. Isabel Vale is a professor of Mathematics Education at the School of Education of Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo in Portugal. She specializes in didactics of mathematics. She is a researcher at the Research Centre on Child Studies (CIEC-UM). Among other topics, her research interests focus on didactics of mathematics, in particular, problem solving—patterns, creativity, visualization, connections in mathematics education, and teacher training. More recently, she is interested in the design of tasks and teaching strategies in diverse contexts that are more favorable to active learning of mathematics, such as STEAM education and learning outside the classroom. Mrs; Mrs. Dina Alvarenga is an invited lecturer of Mathematics Education at the School of Education of Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo in Portugal. She has an MSc in Child Studies, in the area of teaching and learning of mathematics. Among other topics, her research interests focus on didactics of mathematics, problem solving, and robotics

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