Thanks to the advent of the maker movement, 3D printing is taking off in the K-12 sphere. 3D printing is viewed by many educators as an excellent opportunity for students to experience new ways of displaying creativity and innovation while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Oftentimes, however, educators pass up on the opportunities that 3D printing can provide because of a lack of knowledge of how the technology works as well as a lack of support during implementation.

In order to remedy this problem, the leading open source 3D printer manufacturer, Ultimaker, has announced the launch of the Ultimaker Pioneer Program, a program designed to connect educators who are involved in the 3D printing movement.

"The Ultimaker Pioneer Program allows educators, or Pioneers, to feature their 3D printing expertise and knowledge by sharing useful content on the new Ultimaker Education website,” said Ultimaker in a statement.

"Contributors will maintain ownership of their own content through Creative Commons Attribution, Share-Alike, and Non-Commercial licensing. By visiting the Ultimaker Education website, educators throughout North America will have access to resources and knowledge that may not be available locally.”

On the new website, a variety of resources are available to educators looking to either bring 3D printing into the classroom or get better at using it as a learning tool.

Over 25 new resources include lessons and tutorials, where to find print models, conferences and events, and even a book list that features good reads to help educators better understand the technology in a broader sense.

Throughout the school year, the site will be updated with contributions from Ultimaker’s Education Pioneers- a group of 58 educators from 21 states who are "leading the way by developing and sharing 3D printing lessons, programs, labs, and classroom experiences.”

"Throughout the year we’ll be posting an ongoing stream of articles, lessons, tutorials, and advice from the inaugural group of Education Pioneers, as well as notices to keep you up-to-date on the latest 3D printing news for educators,” the site says.

So far, initial articles from the Pioneers cover everything from managing a 3D-printing lab to converting K-1 students’ artwork to 3D-printed keepsakes.

The Pioneers come from a wide range of backgrounds to provide a multitude of unique perspectives; Pioneers include library associates, art teachers, principals, technology specialists and more.

If you have a passion for 3D printing and think your voice will benefit others, Ultimaker is currently accepting applications for the next group of Pioneers. That application can be found here.

Check out Ultimaker’s Education website here.

Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

8/16/2016