Giving Compass' Take:

• MakerBot is a 3D printing company that is elevating classrooms by offering guidebooks, access to an online portal of tips on  3D printing, and a training program. 

• How is MakerBot addressing access for schools who want 3D printers?

• Read about the importance of creating more accessible makerspaces for STEM education. 

Schools all over the country have been working to bring 3D printing to their students to support STEM integration, design thinking, student-centered learning, project-based learning, and the future of work. While some educators are comfortable embracing 3D printing with little formal training or support, others prefer more structured training and ready-to-use lessons in order to increase their comfort level.

There are many brands of 3D printers available to schools. MakerBot, founded in 2009, sells a variety of affordable, easy-to-use, wireless-enabled 3D printers and recognizes the revolution that 3D printing can bring to education.

The MakerBot Educator’s Guidebook is a free, high quality, easy-to-follow book that can be downloaded for free or purchased in hard-copy form on the MakerBot Education website. In my opinion, this book is a must-read for teachers of all 3D printing experience levels.

You may have heard of Thingiverse, MakerBot’s online 3D printing community for sharing 3D designs. MakerBot has also created a 3D printing community just for teachers, called Thingiverse Education. Over five hundred free lesson plans, which can be used with any brand of 3D printer, are posted on Thingiverse Education. Lessons can be browsed by subject, by grade or by collection.

While the price of 3D printers has decreased significantly in the last five years, schools may not have the budget to purchase a 3D printer or necessary replacement supplies, such as a filament. To help schools identify possible funding resources, MakerBot has put together a Grant Guide. Fill out this form to receive the Grant Guide from MakerBot.

The MakerBot Certification Program is an online training program for schools and districts who own or plan to purchase a MakerBot 3D printer and want to provide formal 3D printing training to their teachers.

Read the full article about MakerBot by Jamie Back at Getting Smart