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"BROOKLYN, N.Y., -Thousands of educators throughout the U.S. are embracing 3D printing as a new way to teach 21st century skills and prepare students for the jobs of the future[1]. Taking the first steps to introduce students to 3D printing, however, can be challenging. MakerBot, a global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, conducted in-depth research this spring to better understand how to help educators incorporate 3D printing in classrooms[2]. The research shows that acquiring 3D design skills is a major hurdle for educators and there is no single resource to address this need. To fill that gap, MakerBot today published a handbook designed to provide educators with a wide variety of ideas, activities and projects to get started with 3D printing. Titled MakerBot in the Classroom: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Design, the handbook includes an introduction to 3D printing and a range of hands-on 3D design lesson plans. MakerBot in the Classroom is available as a free digital download for registered MakerBot customers and a sample project chapter is available free to anyone who registers on MakerBot.com. Additionally, MakerBot launched a new MakerBot Education Resource Center with further ideas and resources to support the integration of 3D printing in the classroom, such as real-world MakerBot stories, videos, challenges for teachers and students, and more."

"Last year I had the chance to try out a 3D printer for the first time. I chronicled my journey in a few posts including how easy it was to get started and how I was able to print a virtual reality headset. The team at MakerBot has just announced the brand new MakerBot Educators program. This program is designed to bring together teachers who are passionate about using 3D printing in their classrooms. The goal is to create a community of educators who share their experiences and best practices using innovative technology with students. MakerBot has already set up Thingiverse Education as a collection of 3D printing lesson plans for teachers. So it is no surprise that they've created a space for educators from lots of different backgrounds to share the way 3D printing has changed the way teaching and learning happens in their school. I love when companies create special spaces for educators to show off their accomplishments and share their expertise with other teachers."

"Today, MakerBot has unveiled their guide aimed at teachers and students alike, titled, 'MakerBot in the Classroom: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Design', with hopes of bringing 3D printing into more classrooms around the world. The guide is broken down into three chapters which focus on all the important and vital aspects of 3D printing."

"MakerBot has officially launched its MakerBot PrintShop app, a free iOS-only tool that's designed to assist those of you looking to 3D print your own little trinkets and doodads. That is, of course, assuming that you have one of the company's somewhat-pricey 3D printers. If not, a virtual designer will you forever be."

"Mr. Deissler (@MrDeissler) tweeted a link to a presentation deck by Jay Eitner (@iSuperEit). In it Jay touches on 3 technologies that are very important in STEM and STEAM educational environments - Makey Makey, Minecraft and Makerbots."

"A 3D printer company with a strong education background can be invaluable to school leaders hoping to help students turn abstract concepts into working models, says Johan Broer, a MakerBot spokesman. Each printer company has its own school-focused offerings. A hands-on learning guide and bundled kits along with a curriculum could integrate engineering concepts with core academic knowledge in science, math, art and 3D printing technology. Resources 3D Systems Afinia Beethefirst Leapfrog MakerBot MakerGear Stratasys Ultimaker No matter what printer manufacturer is chosen, CIOs have to do their homework. Things to consider include:"

"3D printing really does sound more like a plot point in a science fiction film than an implementable educational tool, but it's swiftly becoming an accessible option to educators everywhere. In fact, MakerBot, a leading manufacturer of 3D printers, has recently announced the MakerBot academy, which is seeking individual investors to fund an initiative to get 3D printers into every public school in the United States. Other 3D printing start-ups have followed in other parts of the world as well."

"In our three gr. 8 classrooms, students have learned the process of 3D printing using dual extrusion (printing with 2 colours) using a Makerbot Replicator 2X. Last year, due to the large number of students we had using the printer, we needed another to keep up, but this time we chose an AirWolf 3D HDR printer for a few reasons: cloud based slicing via Astroprint, larger print size, and the ability to print with a wider range of materials. Added bonus - the tech support help from AirWolf3D is excellent. While I've posted some examples of how our students design and print using dual extrusion with the Makerbot, my teaching partner, Marc Westra, and I quickly learned the process was quite different using an AW3D HDR - like taking the elevator instead of the stairs. Here's what I learned over the Christmas break, and what we'll be teaching our students…"

"If you've ever used a desktop 3D printer before, chances are you're more than familiar with the Thingiverse platform. This 3D printing marketplace and community offers thousands of models that can be freely shared, downloaded, remixed, and of course, printed. The platform was launched by MakerBot back in 2008, and has been expanding ever since. Nowadays, Thingiverse boasts millions of users and uploaded 3D models, offering everything from popular torture tests like the 3DBenchy to full-fledged educational lesson plans. Intrigued by the continuous growth of this 3D printing marketplace, we decided to take a deeper plunge into this immensely popular platform. We recently chatted with Public Relations Manager Josh Snider, MakerBot Learning Manager Drew Lentz, and Thingiverse Product Manager Corey Zettler about the inner happenings of Thingiverse."

"There's only one thing more satisfying than being part of a 3D printing project, and that's teaching others how to get involved with the additive manufacturing game. A few weeks ago, Netherlands-based 3D printer manufacturer Ultimaker launched its ambitious 3D printing Pioneer Program through which school teachers and university staff can share useful tips and resources for bringing 3D printing into the classroom, but Thingiverse, MakerBot's huge 3D printable file hub, has a fair amount of educational content of its own. MakerBot Learning, the educational division of the 3D printing company, has sifted through the database to identify the best STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) 3D printing lesson plans submitted by Thingiverse users. The various lessons, from which we have selected 15, include step-by-step instructions, photos, 3D design files, activity sheets, and more. Some of the lessons are targeted at high school students, while others are more suitable for younger learners."

"As Kristin Berbawy packed projects into her car, she lingered over one in particular. Two 3D-printed Makerbots with wire hooks-a pair of earrings. They matched the white braces on her teeth and the white strands in her hair. Her students had made them-as they had all the projects in her car-in their high school makerspace. She was proud of them. She was going to display their work to other teachers. Smack in the middle of AP exams, a growing group of teachers is pouring time, creativity and energy into activities for which there are no standardized tests: makerspaces. The movement is avowedly grassroots and candidly quirky, and its main gathering is the Maker Educator Convening in Oakland, CA, where Kristin Berbawy was headed with a trunkload of laser cut wood and 3D printed objects. "

"We were recently gifted with a Makerbot Replicator (5th Gen) to pilot in our elementary school library. Our librarian, Angelique Lackey, and I knew that time was short before the end of the year, but we wanted students to experience the power of creating with this device. "

"On any given day at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, visitors to the Lower School library might be surprised to find it bears little resemblance to the school libraries of years past. Several 5th graders sit at computers, developing 3D luggage tags using Tinkercad to be printed on the nearby Makerbot 3D printer. On the central library tables, students are creating Rube Goldberg machines using physical manipulatives or the RubeWorks iPad app. The library is a buzz of activity and student engagement, punctuated with squeals of excitement. And overseeing the makerspace is librarian Judy Houser, a veteran educator who took the visionary step of transforming this once quiet library into a space where students not only learn to love reading, but learn to explore, create and innovate using a variety of tools"

"We were recently gifted with a Makerbot Replicator (5th Gen) to pilot in our elementary school library. Our librarian, Angelique Lackey, and I knew that time was short before the end of the year, but we wanted students to experience the power of creating with this device. If you search the web for 3D printing curriculum to use in elementary schools, you will find a sparse number of appropriate resources. Most of the "curriculum" turns out to be instructions on using a 3D printer like this, or lists of manipulatives teachers can make on a 3D printer. Angelique and I were looking for something that would be more transformational for our students, however. "

"3D printing is becoming more common at schools across the world, but there's still a skills gap in using this new technology. To help overcome that gap, Thingiverse, an online repository of 3D printing designs hosted by the 3D printer manufacturer MakerBot, recently launched JumpStart - an online resource for newcomers to the 3D design discipline. JumpStart is geared specifically with early learners in mind, says Laura Taalman, MakerBot's senior product manager for education."

"Have you thought about 3D printing with students? MakerBot's Thingiverse is best known as a 3D design sharing website. It also has STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) 3D printing lesson plans for educators across the world to use in their classrooms. MakerBot's Learning Team has been curating and sharing some of the best lesson plans. They include step-by-step instructions, photos, 3D design files, activity sheets and more. All of these 3D printing lesson plans are designed to keep students motivated and learning new STEAM skills."