Tinkering with Tinkercad: Curriculum Aligned 3D Design

Outline

The session will begin with a 10-minute introduction where participants will create their Tinkercad accounts, join a class, and explore basic navigation tutorials. This will be an interactive, hands-on activity, with real-time setup support and peer-to-peer collaboration to ensure all attendees are comfortable navigating the platform.
Next, participants will engage in a 10-minute design challenge where they will use Tinkercad to create a Texas cowboy hat, working individually or in groups. This activity promotes creativity and introduces key features of the software while allowing for collaboration and peer interaction.

Following the design challenge, there will be a 5-minute segment where designs are shared and participants vote on their favorite designs using a quick polling tool. The winning design will be 3D printed during the session. A brief demonstration of the 3D print setup will then be provided to showcase how their designs can come to life through printing.

The session will continue with a 10-minute presentation on the educational research supporting 3D design in the classroom, emphasizing the benefits of developing geometry/spatial reasoning, encouraging problem solving with real world challenges that can create tangible and concrete products, develop engineering and design thinking with cross-curricular connections while increasing engagement.

In the next 15 minutes, participants will take part in a gallery walk, where they will explore various curriculum-aligned examples of 3D design projects used across different content areas such as math, science, and history. There will be examples on Chromebooks, in AR with iPads, and as 3D printed models. This interactive segment allows attendees to move around, ask questions, and engage with both the examples and their peers.

After the gallery walk, there will be 15 minutes- of guidance in setting up their own Tinkercad classrooms, creating activities, and loading templates, working individually or with partners, while receiving real-time assistance.

The next 15 minutes will focus on exploring Tinkercad’s tools and resources, with time for participants to brainstorm activity ideas for their own classrooms and practice using the software. This segment promotes deeper exploration and collaborative discussion among peers.

The session will conclude with a 10-minute demonstration of the completed 3D print, followed by an open Q&A. Participants will be encouraged to share their ideas and ask questions, wrapping up the session with an exit ticket where each attendee shares one idea they will take back to their classroom.

Supporting research

Abu Khurma, O., Ali, N., & Swe Khine, M. (2023). Exploring the impact of 3D printing integration on STEM attitudes
in elementary schools. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(4), ep458. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13568

Anđić, B., Lavicza, Z., Ulbrich, E., Cvjetićanin, S., Petrović, F., & Maričić, M. (2022). Contribution of 3D modelling and printing to learning in primary schools: a case study with visually impaired students from an inclusive Biology classroom. Journal of Biological Education, 58(4), 795–811. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2022.2118352

Hoa, Quan & Ánh, Nguyễn. (2024). Integrating Tinkercad into the designing solution phase of STEM educational activities: a case study in Vietnam.