About
Design Make Teach is a blog about MAKING in the classroom. MAKING is a process that engages students in thinking, making and sharing.
My name is Josh Ajima. I am a teacher. I believe that I can MAKE a difference.
In 2012, I helped plan a TEDx event. My TEDx wish was for a 3D printer for my school. When that wish didn’t magically come true, I decided to MAKE it happen and bought a 3D printer out of personal funds. I now DESIGN, MAKE and SHARE lessons on MAKING in the classroom.
I made the sign. Letters created with a CNC machine.
This blog is part of my personal professional development and a model of the DESIGN, MAKE, SHARE process.
I give demos, presentations and workshops on 3D printing, technology integration and professional development. I am located in Northern Virginia.
Contact me if you are interested in helping schools with 3D printing and digital fabrication.
Check out my designs at http://www.thingiverse.com/DesignMakeTeach/designs
Stay up to date with the blog LIKE https://www.facebook.com/DesignMakeTeach
Keep up on the behind the scenes activity at https://twitter.com/DesignMakeTeach
11/05/2019: VA4LE – Presenter
10/13/2019: MakerEd Convening – Presenter (program)
07/16/2019: Constructing Modern Knowledge – Attendee
07/12/2019: Smithsonian Teacher Innovator Institute – Workshop
06/12/2019: Inspire Loudoun – Presenter (program)
06/02/2019: NoVa Maker Faire – Student Exhibit Sponsor (program)
03/21/2019: LCPS Student Maker Showcase – Organizer
03/10/2019: Columbia FabLearn Conference – Attendee
12/04/2018: VSTE – Attendee
10/07/2018: Construct3D 2018 – 0 Things Hackathon – Organizer (article)
07/18/2018: Smithsonian Teacher Innovator Institute: Workshop (resources)
07/10/2018: Constructing Modern Knowledge – Attendee
06/23/2018: ERRF 2018 – Presenter (video) (interview)
06/09/2018: NomCon – Presenter (program)
05/03/2018: LCPS Student Maker Showcase: Keynote Speaker & Organizer
02/06/2018: TCEA – Featured Presenter (resources)
12/08/2017: ACTE – Presenter (workshop resources) (article)
12/04/2017: VSTE Innovative Educator of the Year (announcement)
10/27/2017: Tinkercad Blog – How to Use the Maker Movement to Celebrate Diversity and Culture (blog)
10/22/2017: Stanford FabLearn Conference – presenter (video starts 30:39)
10/04/2017: RepKord Interview – Interview w/Design Make Teach: Adopt-a-bot, ZeroThings, Makers & Education (video)
10/03/2017: Matterhackers Minute (video)
09/24/2017: Maker Faire NY – Winner Best in Class Presentation – 0 Things: Diversity, Opportunity & 3D Printing (program)
09/21/2017: Igniting NOVA K-12 Engineering and Maker Education – Panelist (program) (photo) (article)
08/21/2017: EdSurge Article – The Next Big Thing: Creating Communities of Making to Celebrate Students’ Heritage and Culture – (blog)
08/11/2017: Pinshape Featured Designer – September 2017 (blog)(tutorial)
06/28/2017: ISTE – Panelist (program) (blog)
06/06/2017: Winner Formlabs 3D Design Awards, Powered by Pinshape – Top Educational Model (announcement)
05/23/2017: Resourceful: A TRT Story – Feature (video)
05/18/2017: Meaningful Making Podcast – Episode 1 DesignMakeTeach – (podcast)
05/05/2017: Construct3D Conference – Conference Committee/Presenter (program 1)(program 2)
05/01/2017: Lego Pussyhats for Good (blog)
03/19/2017: NoVa Maker Educator Meetup & Faire – Presenter (program)
02/23/2017: Adafruit Blog Feature – Women’s March Gets the LEGO treatment with #3DPrinting @DesignMakeTeach (blog)
02/12/2017: Refinery 29 Article – These Lego Pussyhats Prove Everything Is Awesome (blog)
02/02/2017: Thingiverse Featured Model – Hidden Figures – Friendship 7 (model)
01/30/2017: Ultimaker Featured Tutorial (blog)
10/15/2016: FabLearn 2016 Conference – Fellow (program)(blog)
10/02/2016: Moat Boat Paddle Battle: Maker Faire NY – 2nd Place
10/01/2016: Maker Faire NY panelist: Winners Tell All: The CTE Makeover Challenge (program)
09/25/2016: Maker Faire Silver Spring: CTE Makeover Challenge (program)
09/07/2016: Stanford FabLearn Fellow (announcement)(application)
06/19/2016: National Maker Faire: 3D Printing in the Classroom (program)
06/17/2016: CTE Makeover Challenge Winner – Team Lead (announcement)
06/11/2016: Make 48 – 3D Printing Expert/Volunteer (blog)
05/19/2016: 3D Printing Nerd Interview (YouTube)
05/15/2016: Printed Solid Grand Opening – presenter (schedule)
03/09/2016: Dominion Cluster Evening with the Arts – exhibitor (photo)
03/07/2016: Cited in Academic Journal (abstract)
03/05/2016: Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM) Conference: 3D Printing in the Math Classroom – featured presenter (program)(blog)
02/07/2016: Curated Space – Babel: Outsider Art Fair – 2nd place (announcement)
01/12/2016: Inventables 50 States Carver Contest Winner – team lead (announcement)
12/14/2015: Ultimaker Community Contest – winner (blog)
12/06/15: VSTE 2015 Conference Committee: Hackerspace (committee)
11/05/15: Barnes and Noble Mini Maker Faire – presenter
11/2015: Make Magazine Issue 48: Othermill Review – author (article)
09/26/15: Maker Faire NY: 3D Printing in the Classroom (program) (presentation)
09/25/15: Make Education Forum – panelist (blog) (video)
09/08/2015: Tinkercad Featured Designer: TinkerStar (blog)
08/2015: Make Magazine Digital Fabrication Review Team (blog)
07/03/2015: ISTE 2015: 3D Printing in the Classroom (program) (presentation)
06/30/2015: ISTE 2015: Knight of Make-A-Lot – panelist (program)
05/08/2015: Thingiverse Featured Design: MOM Gimbal (model)
03/18/15: Dominon Cluster Evening with the Arts: The Amazing 3D Printed Art Exhibition – presenter
03/15/15: NOVA MiniMaker Faire: The Amazing 3D Printed Art Exhibition – presenter (program) (article)
01/23/2015: Vending Times: Educational Exhibit Spotlights 3D-Printed Novelties In Bulk Vending Capsules – featured (article)
01/15/2015: Loudoun Library 123 Math & Science – Gum Spring: 3D Printing – presenter
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12/25/2014: Adafruit Blog: 3Dx2014 – DesignMakeTeach, Josh Ajima – featured (article)
12/09/2014: VSTE 2014: 3D Printing in the Classroom – presenter (program)
12/08/2014: VSTE 2014: 3D Gumball Gallery – presenter (blog)
12/07/2014: VSTE 2014: Interactive Art Synthesizer – presenter (program)
12/07/2014: VSTE 2014 Conference Committee: Hackerspace (committee) (program)
11/2014: Make Magazine Issue 42: Rainbow Extrusion: Coloring 3D Printer Filament – author (blog) (magazine)
11/2014: Make Magazine Issue 42: Afinia H480 Review – author (magazine)
11/12/2014: ISTE Webinar: The Maker Movement: A Pathway to Innovation for STEM Learners – presenter (program)
09/19/2014: Make Blog: Made in Space 3D Printer Launches Tomorrow Morning – author (article)
08/21/2014: Adafruit Blog: 3D Printing Projects for the Classroom from mathgrrl + DesignMakeTeach -featured (article)
08/2014: Make Magazine 3D Printer Review Team reviewer (article)
07/01/2014: ISTE 2014: Makers Playground – presenter (YouTube)
06-07/2014: Learn.Printbot.com Blog: Consultant and author (articles)
03/08/2014: Cold Wars 2014: Introduction to 3D Printing – presenter
2/22/14: Pecha-Kucha Night D.C. – Vol. 19 – presenter (website) (article)
2/11/2014: 2014 VILS Virtual Conference: Making in the Classroom – presenter (website) (presentation)
1/30/2014 TSTT Presentation – presenter (Day 1) (Day 2)
12/10/2013 VSTE 2013: Getting Started with Makerspaces and 3D Printing (resources) (YouTube)
12/09/2013 VSTE 2013: 3D Printing featuring Math Manipulatives
12/08/2013 VSTE 2013: Photogrammetry: Capturing 3D Images (resources)
11/16/2013 Fall-In 2013: Introduction to 3D Printing
09/19/2013 Adafruit 3D Designer Spotlight (blog)
07/23/2013 Making for Educators: Symposium sponsored by The Exploratory (YouTube)
07/20/2013 Historicon 2013: Design – Make – Play: Introduction to 3D Printing (program) (handout)
07/19/2013 VSTE Bridging the Gap: Differentiating with Digital Technology Conference: Classroom Makerspaces and 3D Printing (program) (handout)
06/12/2013 ActivLoudoun Plus+ 2013 (program)
Hi Josh, Just found your blog – looks very interesting. I teach at the Univ. of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, in the College of Education. I’m just starting a project that will place portable makerspaces (Printerbot Jr.s, LittleBits, MakeyMakey’s, etc.) in several local elem. and middle schools. I’m going to refer the participating teachers to your page/blog to let them see that teachers have brought maker culture into their classrooms.
At UMW, we have a couple of makerspaces now, one is the ThinkLab, set up for UMW faculty/students and we just opened a second, the LearnerSpace which will be for COE faculty/students and the local education community. We’ve got an assortment of 3D printers, some Replicators, Printrbots – and LC Plus and a couple of Jr’s, as well as arduino’s, hummingbird kits, makey makey’s, picoboards, and so on. Come and visit if you get the chance – you’re probably not too far away. I’d like to hear more about your classroom experiences with making/3D printing.
George
George Meadows
Professor, College of Education
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA
I’ve had a tour of ThinkLabs in the winter. It is a great space. I sent you a follow up message via e-mail.
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Hi Josh, I’m an artist living in the DC area, and looking to learn more about how to take my designs from jpeg to CAD and be able to 3d print.
Howdy,
There are options for converting .jpeg images (bitmap) into vector drawing. Another option is to create vector drawings directly in a free program like Inkscape and saving as a .svg file. The .svg file can then be imported into Tinkercad.com (also free) and extruded into a 3D shape that can be modified and then downloaded and 3D printed.
Looking at your work Lithopanes are also a possibility.
You can email me a file and I could see if I can write a short tutorial. Prefer if it was something you wouldn’t mind me showing screenshots of on the blog. DesignMakeTeach @ gmail .com
You might also check out Hacdc.org. They are a DC based Hackerspace. Don’t know them personally but there might be someone willing to collaborate.
Look forward to hearing/seeing more about your project.
Hello DesignMakeTeach,
I saw you recent Tweet about searches and figured it was about your beautiful Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial design. So I posted the following to a MakerBot advisory group thing I am on, in the hopes that someone will see it and give you the Feature that you deserve!
********
A recent design by DesignMakeTeach on Thingiverse is an excellent replica of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:229463). It’s beautiful, but it isn’t showing up on Thingiverse searches, maybe because it is so new. Does anyone know how my friend DesignMakeTeach can make this design show up in searches so that people can find it tomorrow for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?
********
P.S. I was thinking about this, and if something is going to be Featured maybe it goes off the radar while they are updating the website and such? Just a thought. Your design really deserves to be Featured, especially tomorrow!
Thanks for the kind words Laura. I just hope that something is featured for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Makerbot’s push into education needs to be more than just hardware. Thingiverse needs to encourage quality content to print in the classroom. We design and print things that we value and honor. By taking the time to search/convert/post/print the MLK Memorial design, I’m hoping it inspires others to create and publish more educational content.
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Hello Josh,
I work as a mentor at the Hirshhorn’s ArtLab Plus program. This is a space where teens can access and learn about technology that would be otherwise unavailable to them. In this space we have a Cube 3D printer which has been both unreliable as well as “hands off”, not allowing the teenagers the ability to learn about how this technology actually works. I have been looking into writing a grant for the Printrbot simple (I built one of these and they are fantastic) for ArtLab+ to build as a workshop after reading your 500$ 3D grant article. The only problem is I have no idea where to send this grant to, and was hoping you could give some advice since we are in close proximity. Any suggestions?
Thank you for all the work you are doing in this field!
-David Ross
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Hello Josh,
I work in education and follow you due not only to your interest in helping schools with 3D printing and digital fabrication, but also because of my own interest in developing maker skills in my two young sons. Between my husband and I, we have many of the components of your Ultimate Home Digital Fabrication Workshop. My husband is an engineer with a full workshop in the basement (mill, lathe, etc.) and has been starting to introduce our 8 and 9 year old boys to cad software. By their request, my sons will be receiving a higher end 3D printer for Christmas, so we are well on our way.
We are heavily interested in the maker movement and I am personally using my Silhouette Cameo to make both 2D and 3D projects. Not sure if you have checked out some of the designers using the Silhouette for some pretty complex 3D designs:
http://visualspicer.com
http://de.dawanda.com/shop/paperwolf
I have not gotten into as much designing things personally with the Silhouette but do to do so more in order to help my kids with their 3d projects. I have been wanting to learn Inkscape for awhile, so seeing one of your comments above about how to translate jpg images into something that can go on to render a 3d project through Tinkercad was helpful. Thank you for the inspiration!
Lisa Horvatich
Hi Josh,
I really enjoyed your program at VCTM last week. Erin, my teaching colleague, and I are very interested in getting students to use TinkerCad to design polyhedron nets following our 3-d geometry unit (in a few weeks). Do you have any ideas how to make this happen? The students have designed buildings on TinkerCad earlier this year in another class so should be somewhat familiar with it. Erin and I have not yet used it but can devote some time to it so we are well-versed.
Do you know of any resources that could get us started? The goal, which can be adapted, is to ask students to use Cad to design and print their own net. We would show them the net for a cube and allow them to reference it.
Thanks again for the talk Friday and look forward to hearing from you!
Julie
Julie,
Thanks for attending the session and bringing some of these ideas to your students. For the foldable nets, try https://designmaketeach.com/2013/07/26/foldable-rectangular-prism-visual-tinkercad-tutorial/ and https://designmaketeach.com/2013/05/01/lesson-idea-the-3d-printed-foldable-cube/.
For the hinged net version, try digging around in the original @mathgrrl blog. Here is a starting point http://makerhome.blogspot.com/2014/08/day-345-customizable-hingesnap-cube-nets.html
You can also just print out an example and have students measure and try and develop the correct tolerances.
All the best.
-Josh
Quick thoughts from my phone: I did originally make the nets in Tinkercad, before I did them in OpenSCAD. It was pretty fiddly though because if you wanted to change hinge tolerances then you had to change all the hinges individually. However maybe if you got a working tolerance example for the hinge teeth then you could give that part to the students, leaving them to focus on figuring out angles and positioning. Morphi (on iPad and now on Macs also) did a remake of the cube net – so that tool might be a good choice also.
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Hi Josh,
I am an ITRT who attended your VCTM session in Stafford. I am interested in exploring the possibility of writing grants to get 3d printers into the elementary classrooms to help build foundational understandings of 3d printing. Any suggestions on both grants that are available for this type of thing and on what specific printer to request as a starting point for young children.
Priscilla
Hello Priscilla,
Thanks for writing. I have a post about writing a 3D printer grant but it is very out of date. https://designmaketeach.com/2013/09/25/writing-a-500-3d-printer-grant/
I would recommend getting started with a Printrbot Play. Cost is $399. With shipping, filament and incidentals, I would budget $550-$600 to start. Depending on your situation, that could be PTA funds, a local STEM grant, flat out parent donation or end of the year funds that need to be spent. Also look for anything related to makerspace, constuctivist learning, hands on learning or career prep. Search Meetup for 3D printer groups or makerspace meeting in your area and attend or put out some emails.
A closed mouth doesn’t get fed. You need to use every opportunity to talk about the need for hands-on constructivist learning. Planning for summer STEM programs and STEM days are a great time to make the ask. The USA Science and Engineering Fest is in DC next weekend. Great opportunity for you to start hitting your professional social media channels. “I see 3D printing is big at the USASEF this year. I would LOVE to have a 3D printer for my students!”
Let me know how it goes.
All the best.
-Josh
How to get one here in egypt ??
The design is free. Find someone with a 3D printer in Egypt and they can print it for you. 3DHubs.com lists at least one person offering 3D printing services in your region.