FabLearn: 0 Things Submission

The submission of presentations for the FabLearn 2017 Flagship Conference at Stanford University, October 21-22, requires proposals to be submitted in a specific format. The format is intended for research papers but educator submissions for short talks are in the same basic format.  Here is my first submission for an Ignite style talk.

0 Things: Diversity, Opportunity & 3D Printing

ABSTRACT
The author works in a public high school in suburban Virginia. This Ignite Talk is intended as a call to action for students and educators to design and share 3D models that celebrate diversity, social justice and equality. The talk focuses on author’s personal experiences searching 3D repositories for models to use in an instructional settings. These experiences led to a classroom project with a small group of ELL students to publish models related to National Hispanic Heritage Month. The most important lesson for educators is that the lack of diversity in models and content in maker communities is an opportunity for students to research, design, make and share valuable public products for the world.

Keywords
Diversity; 3D Printing; Digital Fabrication; Identity; Heritage; Culture.

2. DESCRIPTION
2.1 Description of your setting
The author works in a public high school in Loudoun County, Virginia. Loudoun is listed as the richest county in the US based on median family income. The author’s school has an enrollment of approximately 1,500 students with 25% qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Over 300 students receive ELL services. The author serves as an Instructional Facilitator focused on supporting teachers in the integration of instructional technology into classroom teaching. The author promotes making as an instructional strategy and works with teachers at all grade levels and content areas.

2.2 Description of the educational experience
Identified for students topics centered around identity, heritage and culture that returned 0 things in searches of 3D printing repository Thingiverse. Challenged students to research, design and share models related to these topics.

3. CONCLUSION
3.1 Results
In the specific example of working with students in an ELL class to create National Hispanic Heritage Month models, students were empowered as content area experts. Students were able to design models that reflected their pride in their culture and identity and share that with the world. Students and teachers created a curated collection of other models related to Hispanic Heritage and had that collection featured on the front page of Thingiverse. The project brought awareness among the Thingiverse admin team and community on the diversity opportunity available in this growing maker community.

3.2 Broader Value
The most important lesson for educators is that the lack of diversity in models and content in maker communities is an opportunity for students to research, design, make and share valuable public products for the world.

3.3 Relevance to Theme
In order to create a sustainable ecosystem for making in educating it is important that making apply to every content area. One barrier to adoption of making for teachers is that there isn’t content or exemplars in their specific content area. 0 Things uses lack of content as an instructional challenge encouraging students and educators to make new things to fill the gap.

3.3 Link to Talk
A version of the talk is available at https://youtu.be/neRIliG45EE .

4. BIOS
Designer. Maker. Teacher. Stanford #FabLearn Fellow. #CTEMakeover Challenge Winner. @Formlabs 3D Design Award Winner – Top Educational Design. @Inventables 50 States Carver Winner – Virginia. @Thingiverse Featured. @Make Digital Fabrication Review Team 2014/2015. 2nd place Outsider Art Fair NY 2016 Babel competition. @Ultimaker Pioneer. Blogger at DesignMakeTeach.com. YouTuber at youtube.com/designmaketeach
By day: Instructional Facilitator, Technology for the Loudoun Academy of Science & Dominion High School, Loudoun County Public Schools.

5. REFERENCES
[1] Ajima, J. [DesignMakeTeach] 2017. 0 Things: Diversity, Opportunity & 3D Printing [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/neRIliG45EE