There’s no denying the growing need for students of all ages to embrace 3D printing in the classroom. The importance of understanding the technology and how the ecosystem operates, as well as hands-on education, cannot be overstated. The benefits of implementing 3D printing into STEAM-based curricula are well documented and have been spreading throughout the education system. They include new learning possibilities, positive engagement, innovative and creative learning environments, critical thinking, and problem-solving opportunities.
Across the globe, it’s not difficult to find 3D printer manufacturers or distributors specializing in 3D printing products and services geared toward education. Neither is it difficult to find inspiring student stories of how 3D printing classes have transformed their learning experience and inspired creative applications of the technology.
This is all very positive momentum in the grand scheme of things, but there’s still something really important missing from the equation: teacher training and lesson plans.
3D Printing Classes for Teachers
The most vital group within the 3D printing education equation that gets frequently overlooked are the teachers; the people that are directly tasked with preparing students for the modern workplace. There are fantastic educational pioneers out on the frontline, excited by 3D printing themselves, and transmitting this passion into their classrooms. Moreover, increasing numbers of schools are buying into 3D technology for the classroom and the potential for facilitating learning activities across the newly developed 3D printing classes and curriculum.
But for teachers, there has to be a purpose behind the potential. Where do they go to find that purpose, particularly if they are not familiar with the 3D printing ecosystem themselves?
The Most Common Traps in 3D Printing Classes
Before we share our list of educational 3D printing resources with you, let’s get the issues out of the way first.
If a local education department or independent school adopts 3D technology into the curriculum, it sometimes transpires without a defined strategy. There is no getting away from it; if 3D printing is to be included in the curriculum, then the teachers dishing out knowledge need first to understand it. This requires comprehensive training and planning together with ongoing technical support.
The budgetary issues, while not inconsiderable themselves, often focus just on hardware, software, and consumable costs.
The best advice for any teacher tasked with buying hardware is to test it themselves in a workshop, or if time does not permit, find other users or sources of knowledge. User forums will throw up the best insight (positive and negative) when it comes to sorting out what 3D printing hardware is right for your classroom.
You Don't Need a 3D Printer to Start Teaching 3D Printing
Don’t worry if your school doesn’t share your excitement about the many benefits of a 3D printer in the classroom just yet (or doesn’t have the budget). Many of the courses and projects in this article can be completed without having access to your own machine. You can get familiar with the field while your students learn valuable 21st-century skills like 3D design and creative thinking throughout the process leading all the way up to the actual printing.
When students want to see their creations come to life, 3D printing services like Craftcloud powered by All3DP have you covered without making room in the budget to invest in your own machine right away. Students can upload their designs and select from a number of low-cost printing options.
Once your school realizes the technology’s potential and wants to set up shop, you can have a look at the bundles offered by 3D printer manufacturers in this list or check out our recent article on the best 3D printers for schools in 2022 for more information on the right machine that suits your needs.
Resources for 3D Printing Classes
The following is a list of prominent resources for those looking to develop 3D printing classes and 3D printing curricula. It is not exhaustive but aims to offer a well-balanced spectrum of teaching materials. Some offer all-inclusive bundles that are designed around specific types of hardware or educational fields while others can be adapted more easily into existing curricula. The trend in recent years has certainly been toward integrating 3D printing into the larger STEAM education universe and teaching it in combination with other disciplines like engineering or programming rather than as a stand-alone technology. The list contains lesson plans catered to both approaches and covers a range of different ages. We hope it will provide some useful information and go-to places for teachers and students embracing the 3D printing ecosystem.
Many of the following 3D printing companies offer rebates and resources for educational institutions, but each one differs slightly in content and types of 3D printing classes and lessons. Explore our list and find the best 3D printing education resource for you and your pupils!
MakerBot/Thingiverse Education
Since Stratasys’ acquisition of MakerBot, the company has developed a very specific strategy based on education with curriculum resources focused on every stage of education from kindergarten through to technical colleges, universities, and innovation centers.
While Stratasys and MakerBot both offer educational resources on their respective websites, the company offers an impressive range of free project inspirations provided by the community on Thingiverse. This massive MakerBot-owned 3D printing marketplace includes educational resources like project modules, comprehensive 3D printing classes, lesson idea videos, and student design competitions. Thingiverse is now one of the largest 3D printing educational resources out there and offers ideas for 3D printing classes and lesson plans that are divided by subject and grade, making it easy for teachers and students to navigate through it.
Of course, if you happen to also look for a 3D printer to go with your lesson plans, MakerBot has got you covered with platform bundles specifically catered to schools. These come with access to the MakerBot Cloud, over 600 certified lesson plans, and seats in their Certification Programs for students and teachers. With a bit of luck, you might even be eligible for one of their year-round grants.
Whether you’re just getting started or have already integrated 3D printing into your classroom, make sure to check out their free Educator’s Guidebook and Curriculum Planning Guide.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Resources for schools and universities, lesson plans and idea videos, classroom tutorials.
Cost: Free.
Website: Thingiverse Education.
3PI Tech Solutions (Dremel)
Desktop 3D printer manufacturer Dremel recently licensed their entire DigiLab brand to 3PI Tech Solutions, a company led by former DigiLab head of sales George Velez. The company continues to offer the same products that were developed by Dremel. Their platform has been designed specifically for educational (and home) environments. The emphasis is very much on ease of use, safety, and reliability.
Beyond these things, Dremel has also developed specific 3D printing classes and lesson plans and worked in partnership with other organizations to produce 3D printing curriculum resources as well as extensive professional development training courses for teachers. Regarding support, 3PI Tech Solutions promises customers the same legendary service that they’re used to from Dremel.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printers, 3D printing lesson plans (classes 3-12),
Cost: Free when purchasing a printer.
Website: 3PI Tech Solutions.
Leapfrog
Another desktop 3D printer manufacturer with a keen focus on 3D printing education is Leapfrog. This company offers a slight variant in its approach that pushes the rhetoric out quite powerfully together with specific educational bundles for sale. As well as the 3D printer and consumables, this includes specific 3D printing classes and lesson plans that are well-tailored to their hardware.
For example, the Leapfrog Bolt is a 3D printer packaged for educational purposes. The printer is primed for the classroom, including a closed off build volume and a filter for clean air emission. Leapfrog also offers a wide range of free 3D printing lesson plans on their 3D Courses web portal.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printing lesson plans for primary education (age 10-12) and High Schools (age 13-18).
Cost: Free.
Website: Leapfrog Education.
XYZprinting Steam Curriculum
If you are looking for a machine and lesson plan bundle, XYZprinting is another 3D printer manufacturer that offers custom education kits. You can choose between the starter, standard, advanced, and maker lab bundle that offer a range of XYZ products including printers, scanners, 3D pens, filaments, and access to their K-12 STEAM curricula subscription for one year.
The 40 lessons are based on NGSS principles and integrate 3D printing into the learning environment for all ages. They also offer a repository of free lesson plans that were developed by the community and one freely downloadable STEAM curriculum project on their website.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Education kits, K-12 STEAM curricula, 3D printing workflow software bundle
Cost: Depends on education kit.
Website: XYZprinting.
Skriware
Skriware is the one-stop-shop when it comes to STEAM education for primary schools, offering hands-on classes in the fields of 3D printing, robotics and programming.
Their hybrid K-12 education ecosystem Skrilab supports teachers with classroom delivery and engagement resources through a play&learn experience for 10 students. The bundle consists of physical components including robots, construction kits and a 3D printer that is based on the Zortrax M200 Plus. What makes the bundle stand out are the included digital resources including an online file repository, programming and 3D modelig software and an online platform specifically dedicated to successfully enabling teachers.
The Skriware Academy support platform features online trainings explaining how to use the Skrilab elements. Choose from 20 e-courses complete with ready-to-use lesson scenarios and syllabuses, including presentations and worksheets for students.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Skrilab Kit, Skriware Academy online platform, holistic lesson scenarios structured around experimentation and engineering, Primary Schools
Cost: Upon request
Website: Skriware.com
Ultimaker
Ultimaker is another manufacturer of desktop 3D printers that takes its educational responsibilities very seriously. Obviously, like with the others, selling 3D printers is a primary motivating force. That being said, Ultimaker recognizes that successful 3D printing education hinges on the teachers who need to balance the tasks of operating and educating at the same time. If the former does not work smoothly, the latter will end in frustration for everybody involved. Therefore, Ultimaker has developed a range of extensive e-learning operator courses for anyone purchasing their machines to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Choose a role that suits your needs in the Ultimaker 3D Printing Academy and become officially certified.
Once a popular classroom 3D printer, Ultimaker has changed focus over the years and now caters to professional. The once available Core Lessons Set for STEAM Educators was taken off the website, together with the entire Ultimaker Education web address.
Fortunately, you can still download the 8 free Ultimaker Core Lessons for beginners from this website free of charge.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printers, Teacher’s online education Courses
Cost: Varies by course.
Website: Ultimaker
Maker's Red Box
Each Maker’s Red Box includes a 32-hour long STEAM course and is packed with resources that equip teachers with guidance and inspiration to fully utilize the modern technologies that are found in a well-equipped school makerspace. They currently offer four curricula that include 3D printing but also teach other valuable 21st-century technologies like laser cutting or electronics and microcontrollers for a holistic STEAM experience.
The curricula are developed by engineers, makers, educators, and gamification experts and are all based on real-life scenarios – unless you think superheroes aren’t real. Choose from Superheroes – Digital Storytelling, Green Engineers, City of the Future, and Global Warming (coming soon).
Before purchasing, make sure that you fulfill the requirements for technical equipment, including 4 3D printers, 12 micro:bit microcontrollers, 1 laser cutter, 4 soldering stations, and 12 laptops. This will also need to be adjusted if more than 12 students are attending.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Resources for schools with makerspaces, lesson plans, teacher’s guides, video tutorials, and presentations.
Cost: Upon request.
Website: Maker’s Red Box
STEAMtrax (Polar3D)
Ever since the acquisition of STEAMtrax from 3D Systems back in 2016, Polar3D has become a pioneer of 3D printing education, offering NGSS aligned courses through their Polar Cloud online print platform. STEAMtrax is an innovative 3D printing curriculum that was designed in collaboration with GE Additive and focuses on engineering and STEAM education. The lessons integrate 3D design, 3D printing, and 3D scanning technology into the STEAMtrax Engineering Process and are available via subscription to the Polar Cloud. Choose between STEAMtrax Shorts intended for after-school programs or full-length modules for longer sessions.
Cost: Free 90-day trial for schools, then $500 per year, $2,500 per year for Universities
Website: Polar3D
Makers Empire
This evidence-based teaching app offers over 150 lesson plans, in-app challenges, and monthly design competitions that are aligned with several education program standards.
They claim to have a user base of over 850,000 students and 28,000 educators and that their freely downloadable 3D modeling program is the world’s easiest design software that requires no previous knowledge whatsoever.
If you want to test out the entire tool that comes with a synchronized teacher dashboard, you can sign up for a 60-day trial on their website. Don’t worry if you do not own a 3D printer yet. Printing the final designs is not necessary but if you want to do so anyway, they also offer to do it for you as a service. Once you decide to make the investment, the company offers advice on software and printer packages as well as easy-to-follow setup and troubleshooting guides.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Learning from home and at school across the curriculum, system of points, competition, and learning, designed for primary and elementary school students ranging from 4 to 13 years,
Cost: Starting from $299/year (30 students)
Website: Makers Empire
PrintLab
PrintLab is an online platform that offers lesson plans as well as a certified teacher training course for 3D printing in the classroom. The 45+ projects all come with downloadable teaching materials, tutorials, and explainer videos for a blended learning experience.
On the website, you can also find some free courses and participate in design challenges, like the current make:able assisted technology design contest run in collaboration with Autodesk.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Online 3D printing projects for ages 9 to 14, certified teacher training course
Cost: 7-day free trial, Teacher’s license $299 per year, Site license $999 per year
Website: Printlab
City X Project
Granted, the City X Project has been around the block for some years now and chances are if you’ve ever looked into online 3D printing teaching resources you probably came across their website before. Nonetheless, we still think that the workshop designed for 8-12-year-olds offers a wonderfully creative approach to science-fiction problem solving using 3D printing technology.
If you are a fan but looking for fresh material, maybe the educational book Journey to City X with 35 additional hands-on activities in STEM, engineering, design thinking, and creative communication is for you. Although the challenges are not exclusively designed with 3D printing in mind, you can use the extensive supplemental curriculum of the original City X Project to elevate them to the next level in your classroom.
Offers for 3D printing classes: Workshop format, creative problem solving using the Design Thinking Process, teaches basic 3D modeling, printing & design thinking skills 8-12 year-olds
Cost: Original City X Project is free, the book is $6.99 on Amazon
Website: City X Project
Pitsco
Based in the US, Pitsco is a good example of using collaboration to breed 3D printing education. The company, founded in 1971 by three teachers, has partnered up with 3D printing company Afinia. As a result, they have developed STEM curriculum materials for K-12 schools, to support the successful implementation of 3D printing in classrooms all over the country.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printing curriculum materials for schools; special 3D printing for schools package.
Cost: Varies by lesson plan.
Website: Pitsco.
Black Country Atelier
In the UK, Black Country Atelier (BCA) has developed a specific program built around developing technical skills and includes 3D printing. The Smart Product Design and Manufacture Technical Award is recognized as equivalent to a GCSE qualification. Moreover, BCA offers dedicated teacher training courses to support teachers in the classroom, with design and 3D printing technologies. The company is endorsed by a number of universities, as well as TCT.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printing courses (UK only) and 3D printing teacher training.
Cost: Free.
Website: Black Country Atelier.
HoneyPoint3D
Nick Kloski’s courses offer a range of 3D design and printing-related courses that are worth checking out if you are looking to gain confidence as a maker and widen your skill set. He also offers a couple of free courses that cater to 3D printing with children.
Offers for 3D printing classes: 3D printing, 3D scanning, and Design education courses
Cost: Varies by course.
Website: HoneyPoint3D
Thank You, Teachers!
The teachers on the front line every day are bringing their 3D printing knowledge and experience to the next generation of students, and undoubtedly deserve every facet of our respect and support. As this list shows, the 3D printing community has their backs, as they make major strides to integrate even more advanced 3D printing into the classroom.
License: The text of "Teacher’s Guide to 3D Printing Curriculum" by All3DP Pro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.