Digital design and fabrication to create personalized pedagogic tools

A first exploration

International Conference on Lifelong Learning (ICLL) Tsinghua University, Beijing, May 21, 2017

Daniel K. SchneiderTECFA, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences

University of Genevahttp://tecfa.unige.ch/DKS

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

1. Context and objectives

Digital design and fabrication

3D printing

Laser cutting

Computerizedembroidery

……..

To createpedagogic

objects(teachermade)

To create designs (student made)

and learnthrough it

Today

Not today

Vinly cutting

Some theoretical foundations for learning

1. Learning by manipulating and constructing

Fröbel, 1782-1852• “Gifts” to experiment

Pestalozzi, 1746-1827• Learner autonomy and responsibility• “head, hand and heart”

Papert, 1928-2016• Mindstorms (1980)• LOGO (1967)

The construction kit stimulates learning through manipulation. It:• Invites using it.• Is intuitive,• adaptable / flexible,• robust.• Create larger objects

from small ones

Key idea: Promote learning

through hands-on interaction

Piaget• Constructivism

Locke, 1632-1704• Sensory experience

Rousseau, 1712-1788• Romanticism

Montessori, 1870-1952• “Materials”

2. Activity-based learning

Leontief, 1903-1979• Activity theory (USSR)

Activity theory (Scandinavia)• Expansive learning

(Engeström, 1987)

Vygotski, 1896-1934• Socio-constructivism• Zone of proximal development Learning happens through activities, i.e.

reflection of social knowledgeActivities are:• hierarchical: activity (needs, motivation),

action (goal), operation (task);• focused on objects carrying culture;• mediated by tools carrying culture;• continuously developed/adapted.

Nardi, 1995 (use in HCI)

Key idea: Learning takes

place in a social, cultural and

material contextKarl Marx, 1818-1883 Pavlov, 1849-1936

3. Hands-on, “real-world” projects

Freinet, 1896-1966• Learner-centered inquiry-based learning• Collaborative work, creating products

Real-world experience(printing press, field trips, ….)

• Responsibility of the child (participation)

Dewey, 1859-1952• Structured learning through experience

(hands-on, real world projects)• Guided learner-centered pedagogy• Connecting subject matters to prior

knowledge and experience

Fröbel Herbart (1776-1841

Freire, 1921-1997• Balance of action and reflection• Dialogue, creating autonomy

Key idea: Learning through interaction with

the “real world”, doing projects with some learner autonomy.

Kilpatrick, 1871-1965

• Project-based learning• “hands-on”• Connect with real world

• Teacher as guide

• Respect of autonomy

How can we support active learning with manipulatives

?

1. Educational “manipulatives”1. A basic set of elements and operations,2. that can be combined (like words and sentences in a language).3. Ready for exploration.

Manipulatives/expressive media favor learning: • by manipulation and discovery and/or• by providing structure to activities

Passive vs. digitalized objectsPhysical kits,(Fröbel gifts, Lego, puzzles)

Augmented kits with electronics(Lego-Mindstorms, Cricket, ..)

Micro-worlds, (Logo, Scratch, )

Simulations and serious games.

Ease of production

☺☺☺ ● ● ●

Ease of use ☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺ ☺☺

Reliability ☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺ ☺☺

Cost ☺☺☺ ● ☺ ☺

Focus on essential

☺☺☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Monitoring in classroom

☺☺☺ ☺☺ ☺ ☺

….. ● ☺☺☺ ☺☺☺ ☺☺☺

Passive objects cannot do everything, but there is a good range of application for them

Example projects by our students

STIC IV - fall semester 2015https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic4-2015

STIC III – fall semester 2016https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic3-2016

From two classes

STIC III (2016):1. Tools for

group work2. 2D drawing /

laser cutting3. Production of

a virtual book4. Demo event

STIC IV (2015):1. 3D programming

/ printing2. Constructive kits3. Creation of

commonresources

4. Hackfest & demoevent

Learning goals:1. Design tools2. Learn some technology3. Share/ collaborate

Learn programming principles

instructions

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Programming_Boty

Programming supports

map

Learn chinese words

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/H%C3%A0nz%27up

Alternative communication with children that have cognitive trouble

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Pictos3D

list of words

sentence

Learn about map topology

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Topo-kit

Learn the latin alphabet

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_III_(2016)/Les_lettres_de_l%27alphabet

Visualize terrain from GIS data& teach risks

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/3D_printing_of_digital_elevation_models

Isola di VulcanoItaly

Large molecules and small drugs

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/COX_et_ses_drugs

Cox proteine

Drugs that fit

Nutrition education -food pyramid

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Pyramide_alimentaire_constructible

Sales person training

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/STIC:STIC_IV_(2015)/Le_Jeu_DD

Assemble a global phone/cable TV offer

Some results

Observations:• 2D (laser cutting) is easier than 3D printing. But both need

some training• Most of the objects created by the participants fall into three

categories: innovative projects with good potential for use, ‘safe’ objects (puzzles, models and matching pairs) and non-pedagogic games.

Working hypothesis: • digital manufacturing makes it possible to create objects that

are useful, useful and usable by others. • the design of physical tools has led the participants to think

otherwise of an educational activity.• digital design and manufacturing has the potential to help

transforming pedagogies in a range of areasSlogan:Constructivism for teachers !

Further readingZuckerman, Oren (2006), Historical Overview and Classification of Traditional and Digital Learning Objects MIT Media Laboratory,https://llk.media.mit.edu/courses/readings/classification-learning-objects.pdf

Mitchel Resnick et al. (1998) Digital Manipulatives: New Toys to Think With. http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/chi-98/digital-manip.html

Michael Knoll (1997). The Project Method: Its Vocational Education Origin and International Development, The Journal of Industrial Teacher Education, 34. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/v34n3/Knoll.html

Blikstein, P., S. Libow Martinez & H. Allen Pang (eds). Meaningful Making: Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs + Makerspaces, Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, (2016).http://fablearn.stanford.edu/fellows/page/meaningful-making-book

http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/

https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic3-2016 (in french)https://edutechwiki.unige.ch/fr/stic4-2015 (in french)

Your turn !You design

and/or • a discussion on how we can teach design &

fabrication to educators, • technology used, costs, difficulties, etc.

Recall ?Any experience with passive tangibles (as teacher or from childhood memories) ?

1. …2. ….3. ….

Let’s design (1)

• Design a constructive kits that supports learning some basic facts, concepts, skills, procedures (avoid facts if you can …)

Let’s design (2)

• Image a kind of workshop, seminar, team meeting, etc. that should lead to productive outcomes.

• Image roles that you could distribute to participants so that they listen and engage actively.

• Image a physical tool to help you with that

Let’s design (3)

• Image a planning situation (e.g. PHD thesis, family activity, keeping your body in shape, plan a course, homework for your child, …)

• Image tools that will visualize both planning and current state.

Technology:

3D printing• Cheap hardware• Free software

Embroidery:• Rather cheap hardware• Very expensive software

Laser cutting:• Very expensive hardware• Free or cheap software

Vinyl cutting• Very cheap hardware• Rather cheap software