If you want to know how to print on school networks from a laptop, or any other device for that matter, then this is the guide for you. This can be a difficult process, when compared to the relative ease with which you can connect to a printer at home, for example.

The issue with a school network printer is that it is connected to a secured network, so you might not have access to all areas of the system. However, nowadays, most printers on the network should be setup in such a way that you're able to connect to it using your own device.

Of course for security reasons, you'll likely need to be signed into your school account in order to gain access to the printer. But since this should be accessible across a number of devices it can mean printing from your laptop, computer or even smartphone and tablet, with ease.

This guide will lay out the ways you can print on school networks using your own device.

• Best laptops for teachers
• Best laptops for students

Print on school network guidance

Connect directly

One of the easiest, most straightforward and quick ways to get setup and printing right away is to connect with the printer directly. This is done, where available, using WiFi Direct. This is a super local wifi network created between the printer and a device, directly.

So, in some cases this will either not be present on the printer or it may be turned off by the school admin. Presuming it's available, it's a super simple solution.

No matter your device, open the printer settings on it and search for available printers using the wifi. This will pop up in the list and allow you to select that option. You may have some other pop-ups to follow for connection to finalize, but generally this should be a simple process. A password may be required, and that's usually displayed on the printer screen during setup.

Then, when you go to print, you should see this print pop-up in your options. Just note that this is a direct wifi connection so it will only work over a short distance. Make sure to be close to the printer so it works!

Use the school network

Another relatively easy way to print is to connect to the school network. This can mean logging your device in by simply connecting to the school wifi network. This will likely require your login and password -- but in some cases, since you're on an external device, you may also need admin clearance to get online.

Once connected you should be able to gain access to all the printers on the network. Either pick the one you need at point of printing or go into settings and setup one preferred printer, which this will default to print from, each time you need to.

Share a printer

If you have access, or are the admin, then you may want to setup a printer to allow it to be used by users outside of the school network or on external devices. In the case of Windows devices this is relatively simple.

Go to the Windows Start icon, then Settings, Devices and Printers & Scanners. In here you can select the Manage option before going into Printer Properties and the Sharing tab. Now select Share this printer. You can give a share name that is seen by others accessing the device, then select OK and you're all set.

Connect directly to the printer via network

This option lets you connect to a printer, over the school network, directly. For Windows devices go into the Start icon, Settings, Devices, then Printers & Scanners. After this, select Add printers & scanners, and select the Add a printer or scanner. You should then see a list of optional devices to connect to. Select the one you want and choose Add device.

If the printer isn't there you can select: The printer that I want isn't listed. At this point you can use the Add printer dialog box to Select a shared printer by name. This lets you enter the pathway which should look like one of these options:

\\computername\printername

http://computername/printernet/.printer

Then select Next and you can complete the installation.

• Best laptops for teachers
• Best laptops for students

Educators are looking for opportunities to teach students the skills that will best prepare them for college and career. Design thinking is a process to help them solve real-world problems. Specifically, it is a problem-solving process that puts people at the center of an inquiry.

“It allows students to think about the challenges the world is facing,” says Laura McBain, 

Director of K–12 community and implementation at the K–12 lab at Stanford University’s design school. “It puts them in the driver’s seat to be really engaged to solve those problems, to feel empowered to change the world.”

Design thinking is a useful framework when teaching in-demand 21st century skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication. The iterative design process allows students to focus on a solution for a particular problem, interview and gather data from the people who have the problem, and refine and test potential solutions until they get to the one that resolves the problem.

Using 3D Printing to Support the Design Process

3D printing allows students to test their designs with high-quality models. It also facilitates STEM thinking within the design process, which provides real-world practice that they will encounter in their careers. Other student outcomes include practicing the finding/defending/presenting of design decisions as well as applying advanced 3D printing skills to communicate those design decisions.

Learning to use design thinking and 3D printers gives students an advantage. “Having the technology in school prepares them [students] to fabricate and build and test and gives them an edge that none of us had a few generations ago,” said Willy Wong, Professor at Parsons School of Design

3D Printer and Design Thinking Training and Certification

A new cloud-based 3D printing solution by Makerbot removes any apprehension an educator new to 3D printing might have. It maximizes student access with multiple printers so that teachers have increased classroom engagement without slowing down the learning process.

With MakerBot Cloud, teachers have seamless classroom management at their fingertips.

Students can queue up their designs and print them without a hitch. By making 3D printing more available to students, it boosts the opportunity for student innovation as they test their designs to solve real-world problems.

The Makerbot SKETCH Classroom is a reliable 3D printing platform that gives students the access they need and sets teachers up for success. It includes:

• 2 MakerBot SKETCH Desktop 3D printers.
• 600+ curated lesson plans created by Makerbot Certified educators.
• ISTE-certified 3D printer training for both teachers and students.
• Allows you to certify 2 teachers and 10 students in real-world problem-solving, design thinking, and 3D printing.
• Cloud-based integration manages student projects and allows direct printing from TinkerCAD

To find out how you can jumpstart design thinking and efficient 3D printing in your classroom, visit https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/sketch-classroom/ 

Summary

The tools that enable print-based learning have undergone advancements  that are transformational with the ability to lower color printing and energy costs and enable more effective learning. Who doesn’t prefer printed color content to black and white? It’s similar to the digital experience and what you would expect, plus it helps stimulate creative and critical thinking.  In this webcast, you’ll learn about these technology advancements which ultimately enhance print-based learning and help provide fewer hassles for the IT department.

In this webinar you will learn about:

- How color increases student communication and productivity

- New advancements making color printing affordable for Education

- Latest print tools providing more performance with fewer compromises

- Solution options that schools/universities are using today to enhance print-based learning experiences

Speakers

Kevin Hogan
Content Director
Tech & Learning Magazine

Scott Marsic
Product Manager
Epson America
Scott Marsic has over two decades experience successfully transforming diagnostic, technical and business intelligence products into innovative, market-leading goods and services. As a Product Manager at Epson America, Scott’s is responsible for developing strategic initiatives to help drive channel growth and end user demand across the Business Inkjet product category. Core to this focus is Scott’s direct management of third party software partnerships within the US and Canadian markets. Scott holds a BS from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a MS from the University of Southern California, and an MBA from San Francisco State University.

Doc Ballje
Subject Matter Expert ACDI
PaperCut
Doc Ballje has over 20 years’ experience in the copier industry as a System Engineer/Solution Architect/Subject Matter Expert, starting in the business as a down the street copier rep before moving to the technical side. Doc has been extensively trained in print management, document management, document distribution, color theory, production printing and is well versed in all facets of pre sales support. Doc is an SME at CompTIA for CDIA+ (Certified Document Imaging Architect) and holds many other certifications for printing, networking and security.

Click here to access this on-demand webinar

The team behind Dremel® DigiLab products is partnering with Mosaic Manufacturing to bring multi-color and multi-material 3D printing to the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D printer. The Mosaic Palette 2 Pro S is a hardware product that integrates with the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 to allow for multi-color printing and soluble supports and flexible materials to harness 3D printing in new ways.

The Mosaic Palette 2 Pro S enables the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 to combine flexible materials, soluble materials, ridge materials and a different colored materials in a single print.

Dremel will be showcasing this new set-up,  along with its Laser Cutter and new 3D40 FLEX 3D Printer – at booth #2157 at ISTE19.

Epson America, Inc. will be exhibiting its lineup of education technology solutions at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2019 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia in booth #1522.  In addition to its range of laser display solutions, Epson will be featuring its business inkjet printers that aim to bring low-cost color printing to educational institutions.

Epson products showcased at ISTE include:

BrightLink® 1485Fi: The new ultra short-throw interactive laser display features laser technology and up to 5,000 lumens of color and white brightness. With new 16:6 widescreen display options, the BrightLink 1485Fi turns almost any flat surface into an instant, ultra-wide interactive digital whiteboard. 

PowerLite® L610U: Intended for small- to medium-size rooms, this portable projector features an integrated laser light source, up to 6,000 lumens of color and white brightness,1 WUXGA resolution, and enhanced wireless technology to connect to multiple devices. 

LightScene®: A new category of accent lighting laser projectors, LightScene is designed to meet education’s demand for digital signage, simultaneously illuminating and projecting dynamic content onto virtually any surface or material. Using LightScene, schools can showcase student work, provide wayfinding, promote events, acknowledge volunteers or donors, and project a scene, such as a rainforest, on every surface in the classroom.

WorkForce® Enterprise WF-C20590: The multifunction color printer WorkForce Enterprise WF-C20590 offers  up to 100 ISO ppm, and high-yield large capacity ink cartridges delivering up to 50,000 black / 50,000 color ISO pages at an attractive price for budget minded schools. It utilizes up to 50 percent less power than color lasers, operating on a standard 110-volt outlet.

WorkForce Pro WF-C579R: An ideal solution for satellite campus needs or specialty programs that need low-cost color printing, the WorkForce Pro WF-C579R offers up to 75% lower color printing costs vs. color laser. Its Replaceable Ink Pack System delivers up to 50,000 ISO pages black/20,000 ISO color before changing the packs. The printer offers professional-quality prints at 24 ISO ppm (black/color) and 1,330-sheet total paper capacity with optional trays. The WF-C579R also offers 50-page ADF, auto 2-sided printing, copying, scanning, and faxing.

WorkForce ST-4000 EcoTank® features cartridge-free printing with supersized ink tanks and includes up to two years of ink in the box – enough to print up to 14,000 pages black/11,200 color. Educators can save up to 80 percent with low-cost replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges. The ST-EcoTank series offers fast auto 2-sided printing as well convenient wireless printing from tablets and smartphones.

Epson’s Brighter Futures® program offers special pricing, extended Epson limited warranty coverage for a total of five years, dedicated education account managers, and toll-free technical support for all Epson projectors and associated accessories.

Epson’s education solutions will be on display at ISTE in booth #1522 

For additional information on Epson’s education technology solutions, visit: https://epson.com/business-solutions-higher-education-market-products

Ricoh USA, Inc. today announced that its partnership with Hatboro-Horsham School District to enhance its printer fleet has resulted in new opportunities to invest in its students. The district, which has saved $90,000 over the course of its 15-year partnership with Ricoh, once again turned to Ricoh’s experts to help reduce print costs, establish centralized monitoring and management, and re-allocate resources to core educational needs.

Hatboro-Horsham School District, located in suburban Philadelphia, has a strong history of academic excellence. Serving approximately 5,000 students, the district provides education to students from grades K-12. It has received blue ribbon honors from both the Pennsylvania and United States Departments of Education. Eager to serve students of diverse backgrounds, Hatboro-Horsham decision makers wanted to find ways to reinvest funds in a variety of programs to make its schools a more effective and welcoming learning environment. This required looking at its overall operations to uncover ways to save more.

To accomplish this, Hatboro-Horsham turned to Ricoh. The company’s experts conducted an in-depth analysis of the district’s printing fleet and discovered a lack of centralized monitoring and management. Over the years, printers had been added in a piecemeal fashion, and it became difficult to tell who was printing what and why, or to conduct day-to-day analysis of device utilization across the fleet. The district needed to eliminate underutilized devices, implement upgraded multifunction printers (MFPs) to serve diverse needs at lower costs and create transparency throughout the fleet.

With this in mind, Ricoh designed and implemented a solution. First, the fleet was reduced by 150 devices, including the elimination of under-utilized single-function desktop printers. Then, the schools’ existing PaperCut™ MF authentication software implementation was expanded, leveraging MFPs’ newly added card readers to collect usage data that could be used to make informed decisions about fleet optimization going forward. Ricoh took over basic maintenance, which had plagued the IT staff with high volumes of break-fix and routine maintenance for the aging fleet. Now, the Ricoh Managed Services Support Center (RMSSC) would automatically replenish toner as needed, in addition to providing analysis and support. This allowed IT staffers to focus their efforts on core tasks. The expanded, centralized monitoring and management willallow Ricoh and Hatboro-Horsham to gain insights into device utilization and uptime, helping to shape decisions about print policy after initial rollout.

At the same time, mobile printing for tablets and laptops was rolled out at the high school, with implementations at the middle and elementary schools soon to follow.  

“It’s been a total win-win with Ricoh,” said Robert Reichert, Director, Business Affairs, Hatboro-Horsham School District. “We’ve been able to improve our services and the functionality is so much better – and our costs went down. In the past, we had copiers all over the district, but we didn’t know if they were utilized properly. Now, we have the right devices with the right functionality in the right places. And we can say that with confidence, because we have the transparency and the expert management to make sure things stay optimized, even if our needs change.”

Looking Glass Factory today announced the Looking Glass Pro: A Holographic Workstation, an all-in-one 3D visualization solution available for pre-order for a limited time at $5,500. The Looking Glass® Pro is designed for enterprise customers seeking a turnkey holographic display solution for groups of people without the need for VR or AR headsets.  The Looking Glass Pro Workstation will be showcased to the public for the first time at AWE 2019 (Booth #705). Pre-orders start today at http://look.glass/lkgpro

The Looking Glass Pro is a general purpose, self-contained holographic interface that comes with a suite of software tools, including the HoloPlay Unity® SDK, HoloPlay Plugin for Unreal®, and the three.js Looking Glass library, enabling companies to generate holographic applications in the fields of 3D design & simulation, volumetric and 360 3D video capture, architecture, medical visualization, education, and experiential marketing. The hardware features a proprietary 15.6” lightfield display with an embedded computer for fully standalone functionality, an integrated full-size 15.6” touchscreen, secondary fold-out 2D display for UI navigation, and a Leap MotionTM controller for 3D spatial interaction. 

When customers turn on The Looking Glass Pro for the first time, they will see a sample app library containing dozens of holographic apps in the system which they can browse and experience. Customers can then use some of the apps to display and interact with their own content holographically or use a special commercial version of the Looking Glass Unity, Unreal, and three.js SDKs to generate their own holographic apps for the Looking Glass Pro.

Pricing and Availability

The Looking Glass Pro Workstation lists at $6,000 and will be offered at a special pre-order price of $5,500 from May 29 - June 2.  The units will begin shipping mid-July 2019.  

XYZprinting produces a wide range of 3D printers, but the company seems especially adept at making printers aimed at novices and newcomers. The da Vinci Nano, XYZ’s entry-level printer released in 2018, is a prime example of that. Priced at $179.99, this simple printer offers a lot of features for a small price, and it’s our pick for the best 3D printer for beginners.

Design

The da Vinci Nano, which measures 14.9 x 14 x 11 inches, looks more like a kitchen appliance than something high-tech; it’s like a cross between a bread maker and a 1970s sci-fi movie prop. Though a front door blocks off the moving and hot parts of the printer, there is no override. If you open the front door, the printer keeps going, so it isn’t suitable for unsupervised use by younger printers.

The door does help block off much of the noise of printing, though—a low whirring and buzzing sound that is quieter than that from most printers.

Behind the lift-up front door is the print area, with a glass print bed that allows for prints of up to 4.7 inches on each side. That’s not as big as the prints possible from printers like the Dremel Digilab 3D40, but it’s big enough for most uses. 

For the full exhaustive review and for purchasing links and suggestions, go to tomsguide.com and search on the product name.

Dremel has announced the debut of its newest 3D printer, the Dremel DigiLab 3D40 FLEX 3D Printer.  

The 3D40 FLEX includes a flexible build plate to help make it easier to remove parts after printing – one of the biggest challenges with most 3D printers today.    

To accommodate more users, the 3D40 FLEX also prints 30 percent faster in draft mode. The printer also features higher resolution capabilities to better print intricate features like arches, organic forms, small details, engravings and diagonals.   

Features include:

• Flexible build plate for easy removal of prints 
• 30 percent faster printing while in draft mode to maximize the utilization of the machine 
• 50 (.05mm) micron resolution to better print more intricate and detailed designs  Cloud-based printing software to easily maximize printer usage 
• UL-certified and rigorously tested to ensure safety 

For educators interested in hands-on, project-based learning, Dremel has an education-focused offering featuring both the 3D40 FLEX and the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 3D Printer. In addition to the products, users receive access to a four-hour professional development course and 30 standard lesson plans for students ranging from third to 12th grade.   

The Dremel DigiLab 3D40 FLEX will be available at select retailers and online this February (MSRP $1,299 USD). For more information about the Dremel DigiLab 3D40 FLEX and the entire DigiLab suite, visit digilab.dremel.com.  

Skriware educational startup will be showcasing its learn-through-play ecosystem for students at Bett Show 2019, booth no. B56. 

Their hands-on learning experience for students uses technologies such as 3D-printed, programmable robots to teach coding engineering and design. The solution also includes 3D printers and online learning platform. 

Skriware Academy, the online STEAM platform uses teaching methods that have been developed in cooperation with experts in the field of education. The startup worked with the faculties from Dartmouth College, Astro Center at Texas A&M University and Harvard Graduate School of Education to create its courses. It has also recently partnered up with Microsoft as a Global Education Partner to tackle challenges in education.

PaperCut, a print management software provider, today announced it has joined the Google for Education Partner Program as a Premier Partner. The collaboration will provide printing solutions for G Suite and Chromebook users.

[Do you have an innovative edtech product? Nominate it for the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence Contest! Click here for details]

The Google for Education Partner Program was designed to enable partners to sell, service, and innovate by leveraging the G Suite platform and products. With 20 years of experience in the education sector, PaperCut’s collaboration with Google for Education is well suited.

[3D Design Tool Promotes Curiosity, Experimentation]

PaperCut’s BYOD solution, Mobility Print, integrates with G Suite and lets users print from any device via its native interface, with no third-party apps to install or manage.

Canon U.S.A. showcases its latest solutions for the education market at ISTE 2018 (Booth #2375), from June 24 to June 27, 2018 at the McCormick Place West Building in Chicago.

At the show, Canon demonstrates its Intelligent Grading Solution (IGS) IGS PRO, a test grading and analytics cloud-based software. The current IGS system provides educators with the flexibility to create and grade exams, and then generate detailed, analytical reports from an imageRUNNER ADVANCE system. Additional features now available through IGS PRO software include the ability to utilize a web-based portal, incorporate math questions on answer sheets, review exceptions and adjust test data accordingly, export grade data into popular learning management systems,1 and more.

[What’s New: New Tools for Schools]

Canon invites educators to an exhibit to learn how a PIXMA G3200 MegaTank All-in-One printer, in collaboration with a Silhouette America digital fabricator and software, can create 3D educational models utilizing 2D prints. The Canon USA-Silhouette America collaboration will include a library of 250 Canon Creative Park crafts that are processed to work with the Silhouette fabricator after being printed on the Canon printer so that students can immediately immerse themselves into the assembly of fun learning crafts. The solution provides a fast method for producing 3D crafts when compared to traditional 3D printers, has applicability to STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art & Math) curriculum and has been validated by educators as an effective pedagogical tool for teaching design, assembly and spatial rendering.

MakerBot announces its 3D printing certification program for educators,available now.

The MakerBot Certification™ Program trains educators on operating MakerBot 3D printers as well as on how to create their own 3D printing curriculum.

[3D Printing For Learning]

Teachers can become certified in one of two ways. The first is a series of online, self-paced courses that trains users to become operators first, then curriculum creators. The second covers the same material as a blended workshop that combines online coursework with an additional 5 hour hands-on training session, led by 3D printing experts at MakerBot HQ.

To learn more, visit https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printing-certification/

All it took was the purchase of one 3D printer to convince Upper Grand District School Board Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) and Technological Educational Lead for Upper Grand DSB Charles Benyair that the new technology is integral to the future of his students and the community at large. Just two years after buying his first printer, the district has evolved to host a full network of over one hundred 3D printers, with curriculums modified in every subject matter, programs that encourage students to build parts needed by the local community, and trained teachers who have become experts in the skill.

Following an initial investment, Benyair came across technology integration firm Advanced Education, at a local showcase venue, demoing Dremel’s new 3D printer.

Upon making the investment, Advanced assisted in the integration of Dremel 3D printers specifically into district schools, offering necessary tech support as well as establishing the critical professional development training needed to fully utilize the technology.

Since the Upper Grand District School Board invested in 3D printers, many students in the Upper Grand School District have worked with a printer, in subjects as diverse as math, science, technology, history, geography, art, design and literature. And, in addition to enhancing curriculum teachings with the technology, Benyair has taken the opportunity to involve his students in community service by solving local problems with 3D printing.

The district has also gotten involved with the “E-nabling the Future Prosthetic Hand Project”, which is made up of a community of individuals from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb assistive device.

Since implementing 3D printers into their curriculums, the average percentage of students taking a technology class grew to 40%, which is 10% above the national average.

The purchase of one 3D printer has convinced Upper Grand District School Board Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) and Technological Educational Lead for Upper Grand DSB Charles Benyair that the new technology is integral to the future of his students and the community at large. Two years after buying his first printer, the district now hosts a network of over 100 3D printers, with curriculums modified in every subject matter, programs that encourage students to build parts needed by the local community, and trained teachers who have become experts in the skill.

Following an initial investment, Benyair came across technology integration firm Advanced Education, at a local showcase venue, demoing Dremel’s new 3D printer. “I knew that these printers were the future of education,” he said. “We decided to also invest in Dremel’s 3D printers to help empower teachers and students to immerse themselves in the technology and further align their frame of thinking with the future.”

Advanced assisted in the integration of Dremel 3D printers into district schools, offering tech support as well as establishing professional development.

In addition to enhancing curriculum teachings with the technology, Benyair has taken the opportunity to involve his students in community service by solving local problems with 3D printing.

“We take some K-12 students out into the schoolyard and pose issues to them, which they in turn, design solutions for with the necessary software and printer.” Benyair said. For example, we had students design picnic table plugs that sealed up the umbrella holes in the winter when they weren’t being used.”

The district has also become involved with the “E-nabling the Future Prosthetic Hand Project,” a community of individuals from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb assistive device.

Since implementing 3D printers into their curriculums, the average percentage of students taking a technology class grew to 40%, which is 10% above the national average.

“3D printing is going to be a part of our everyday lives soon enough,” said Arthur Public School Vice Principal Jason Boyce. “While it is amazing to learn about a scientist using 3D printing to replace body parts or plans for 3D printing future colonies on the moon, the technology can solve practical problems everywhere, starting in the community.”

Makerbot has made its full 200-page guidebook for 3D printing in education, MakerBot Educators Guidebook, available for free on its website.

Included are:

• A crash course in 3D design and 3D printing
• 9 classroom ready 3D printing lesson plans
• Tips and tricks from STEM educators

No technological concept has intrigued yet disappointed the education community as much as 3D has. From floating Second Life avatars flying students to imaginary learning islands to throbbing dissected hearts projected in dimly lit classrooms to curricula springing from handheld tablets, the promise of teaching in the next dimension has been too good to be true. Most, if not all, of these attempts have gone the way of the paperless classroom.

3D printing is different. The products you see on the cover and read about on page 42 are not prototypes but actual devices in action right now. Admittedly, when we first reported on 3D printers (check out our September, 2014 cover story in the archives: www.techlearning.com/currentissuearchive), these machines did little more than print out novelty plastic doohickeys. But since then, teachers and students have designed curricula, spawned innovative projects, and even created new industries.

Another indication that 3D printing is more than a fad is how important its use is in three other edtech hot topics—the Maker Movement, STEM education initiatives, and project-based learning. Contributing editor Ellen Ullman describes sixth-graders in Denver’s STEM launch K-8 program (How schools make “making” meaningful,) designing and creating architectural models for tiny houses in conjunction with a social studies project that addressed housing shortages. I don’t know about you, but that’s not what I was doing in the sixth grade!

I must admit that 3D printing still mystifies me a bit. There is some sort of Willy Wonka magic that occurs between the image on the screen and the thing in the box. But for students, it’s just another day in the classroom, which gives me hope for the future!
— Kevin Hogan
Content Director
khogan@nbmedia.com

Students at Charter High School for Architecture and Design in Philadelphia (PA) are working with an Ultimaker 2 Extended+ to learn about art, design, and giving back to the community. This year’s senior design challenge involved creating a prosthetic hand for a middle-school student with cerebral palsy. Students spent six months designing and iterating until they created a final product that allowed this student to draw and paint. This is just one of many stories illustrating how 3D printing is allowing students to experience real-world design and problem solving.

As educators around the globe implement 3D printing in their classrooms and libraries, students are developing art, design, technology, engineering, and math skills. As more schools adopt 3D printing technology, the number of 3D printer models available continues to grow, and companies are releasing design curricula as quickly as they can.

MakerBot recently announced the launch of My MakerBot, a cloud-based platform for print preparation that connects directly to Tinkercad, a cloud-based 3D design program made by AutoCAD. This new partnership allows for seamless 3D design and printing for teachers and students. My MakerBot works on all platforms, including Chromebooks, which will make it easier for students and educators to prepare and monitor 3D prints. My MakerBot works with all MakerBot printers, including the MakerBot Replicator and the MakerBot Replicator Mini+, both of which are excellent choices for 3D printing in schools.

MakerBot will also be releasing the MakerBot Educators Guidebook in early fall 2017. The MakerBot Educators Guidebook, written in conjunction with over 80 educators, provides not only nine classroom-ready lesson plans, but also information on where to find the best additional 3D-printing lesson plans, information on getting started with 3D printing, and best practices. The lesson plans are written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, and they include correlations to national standards as well as helpful notes from the authors. This is a fantastic addition to the already diverse options for educators, which include Thingiverse Education and an array of 3D printers.

                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                    
The Afinia H400 and Dobot Magician make 3D printing attainable for all students  

At ISTE 2017, XYZprinting announced a STEAM curriculum that’s designed to align with the K–12 Next Generation Science Standards. This curriculum won a Best of Show Award from Tech & Learning. XYZprinting will continue to add to the curriculum, and the remaining courses will be available by the end of 2017. The addition of this STEAM curriculum means that XYZprinting now offers a complete educational solution, which includes hardware, software, and curriculum. They’re also introducing a new education section on their website, and the company will be offering schools the opportunity to participate in an ambassador program, where educators can share their knowledge and classroom successes in 3D printing.

A number of new printers available for the 2017 school year include offerings from Afinia, Dremel, and Robo 3D—all leaders in 3D printing.

Afinia 3D is introducing the new Dobot Magician EDU, a robotic arm that can 3D-print, manipulate objects, write, and draw. With a graphical programming environment, multiple tool heads, and the capability to work on the Arduino platform, Dobot allows students to explore multiple areas in STEM and robotics. The EDU package will cost $1,499, and it comes complete with tutorials and lessons for students to explore coding, development, and automation in one unique tool. The Dobot Magician prints in HIPS, PET, and PLA, with a 0.1mm (100 microns) resolution and a maximum print size of 150 x 150 x 150mm (5.9 x 5.9 x 5.9 in.). The Magician offers wifi and USB connectivity and comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty with lifetime phone and email support. Dobot Magician EDU also comes with a vacuum pump kit, gripper, writing and drawing kit, 3D-printing kit, Bluetooth module, wifi module, joystick control, and tool package.

The Dobot Magician is the latest in Afinia’s line of printers, which includes the H800+ and the H400—both of which print in a wide array of materials and are two other great choices for educators. The new Dremel DigiLab 3D45 ($1,799) has a layer resolution of .01–0.3 mm (100–300 microns), a 292.1 x 190.5mm (11.5 x 7.5 in.) build plate, and a maximum print size of 254 x 152.4 x 170.18mm (10 x 6 x 6.7 in.). The 3D45 offers a heated print bed, full enclosure, auto calibration, touchscreen display, air filter, USB and wifi connectivity, and automatic filament recognition that updates temperature settings to ensure optimal printing. The 3D45 offers an HD camera for fleet management, remote viewing, and time-lapse video capture. It prints in proprietary ABS, flexible PLA, nylon, PLA, and polycarbonate. If it’s used for non-commercial or educational purposes, the printer has a one-year warranty against defective materials or workmanship and comes with lifetime customer support. Dremel customers receive support via video tutorials, Skype, chat, email, and telephone, with most calls answered within 45 seconds.

Robo 3D has just released the Robo R2, with a retail price of $1,499. The Robo R2 offers dual print heads (the second is available as an add-on) and will print in ABS, flexible PLA, HIPS, nylon, PET, and wood with a resolution of 20–300 microns. The print plate is 200 x 200mm (7.87 x 7.87 in.) with a maximum print size of 8 x 8 x 10 inches. The Robo R2 offers a heated and fully enclosed print bed, auto calibration, touchscreen display, USB and wifi connectivity, an on-board camera, integrated model slicing, filament run-out detection, and a nylon unibody XY gantry. The Robo R2 has a range of capabilities, including the ability to print in two materials at once. It comes with a one-year warranty and Robo 3D offers 24/7 lifetime support.

3D printing is a fantastic way to introduce students to both curriculum-based and real-world skills as well as life skills. Tap in to creativity, problem solving, iteration, math, science, technology, art, engineering, and design; meet Next Generation Science, ISTE, and Common Core Standards; and open your students’ worlds to entrepreneurial skills and ways to give back to the community—all with one simple tool.

Revolutionizing Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is a top priority at PS 15 Patrick F. Daly School of the Arts. Located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, this public school relies on creative and academic projects to lead students through concepts that are aligned with the national Common Core Learning Standards, in addition to local and state standards.

Through a federally-funded Magnet Grant, STEM Educator Jenna Utter found a unique way to add a fresh sense of innovation, creativity, and fun to her classroom.

Brought to you by MakerBot

 Autodesk Digital STEAM Visual Design 

Cool tool helps teach principles and elements of design in 3-D 

Pros: Multiple visual and text examples make terms easy to understand, and the app is free.
Cons: Missed opportunity for incorporating audio; no assessment included in app.
Bottom Line: Autodesk Digital STEAM Visual Design can be a good tool for individual, self-directed learning.

Read more here.

By Common Sense Education

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

In November 2014, HP introduced Sprout, calling it an immersive computer. Seven months later, in June of this year, HP released 3D Capture, which adds the ability to capture physical objects in 3D. Sprout is the first fully integrated desktop scanning solution. It allows users to scan 2D and 3D images and then manipulate and edit them on the 10-point touchscreen computer or on the HP 20-point Touch Mat.

Adding Sprout to a 3D printing environment opens up a whole world of possibilities for student creativity. With Sprout, students are able to scan physical objects and embed them in what they are doing digitally, which allows for more immediate prototyping of new objects that can be added to existing ones. (Want to build an accessory to house those pesky wires? Scan the wires to ensure a perfect fit!) The capacity to blend existing digital content with physical objects opens the door for creativity and innovation in new ways. Sprout and 3D Capture also allow for real-time virtual collaboration in the 3D platform, so students can work with each other and with experts who aren’t in the same room—or even in the same country. Once files are generated, they can be saved as .obj or .stl and downloaded for local printing or sent to Sculpteo, a 3D print service that produces and ships high-quality prints in a multitude of materials.

Sprout, an advanced, all-in-one desktop computer, is a fully functioning, high-powered, stand-alone workstation, and it can be used for creative activities beyond 3D prototyping and printing, including stop-motion animation with Sprout Stop Motion, 4D applications with Crayola Color Alive, and the Ideum Origami Apprentice (which guides users through the creation of origami models).

MORE ON SPROUT

The Computer: Sprout runs on the Windows Operating System on a 4th-generation Intel Core i7-4790S Processor with a 1TB SATA solid state hybrid drive with 8GB flash acceleration cache, which offers SSD-like speed, HDD capacity, and 8GB DDR3-1600 memory (expandable to 16GB). There are dual USB2 and dual USB3 ports, integrated Bluetooth 4.0 and wireless LAN. Sprout features DTS Sound, an HP 3-in-1 media card reader that supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 745A graphics card with 2GB DDR3 dedicated memory. Sprout has a 23” diagonal, 10-point touch-enabled, full HD (1920x1080) wide viewing angle, and white-LED backlit LCD display. Sprout also comes with a wireless chiclet-style keyboard with volume control, Windows 8 hot keys, and an optical mouse.

3D Capture: Sprout captures 2D and 3D images using the HP Illuminator, powered by the HP DLP projector, the HP high-resolution camera with up to 14.6 megapixel resolution, and the Intel RealSense 3D camera and an LED desk lamp. The available Capture Stage (a separate purchase) has a turntable and automatically tilts 15 degrees while turning, which helps ensure that all aspects of the object being scanned are captured. The stage is not required for 3D scanning.

3D Capture and Manipulation: The 3D Capture application allows users to scan and manipulate objects using the included HP Touch Mat, which is a 20” diagonal, 20-point touch mat with ultra-resistant top coating and Adonit Jot Pro stylus. Additionally, users are able to share 3D objects with others via email, Facebook, and other social media sites, in an online viewer where they can collaborate on and manipulate the objects.

3D Printing: HP is currently partnered with Dremel to create an integrated printing solution with the Dremel 3D Idea Builder (which can be purchased as a bundle) and is aligning with Sculpteo, a print service, to offer 3D print delivery by mail.