Assessing Project based Learning with 3D Printing

Alicia Stansell

, Tandra Tyler-Wood

and Gwendolyn M. Morel

University of North Texas, 3940 N Elm, Suite G150, Denton, U.S.A.

Texas State University, 601 University Dr, San Marcos, U.S.A.

Keywords: Assessment, Project based Learning, 3D Printing, STEM, Middle School.

Abstract: A study was conducted with middle school students using a STEM transmedia book to complete

engineering projects. Included in the book were optional 2D cutters and 3D printers activities that students

used to solve some of the engineering projects in the book. The article explains the framework for study and

possible ways to assess student achievement through a project-based transmedia STEM book.

1 BACKGROUND

Students in middle school are faced with ever-

changing options for their vocational future. Their

future may include vocational opportunities that do

not exist today (Su, 2009). An average of 200,000

engineering jobs in the United States of America do

not get filled yearly because there are only about

60,000 students graduating with an engineering

degree (Hall et al., 2011). Students today can be

supported for the unknown vocational future through

a strong educational background in Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

(Center for the Study of Mathematics, 2012).

Twenty-first century vocational skills necessitate

knowing and integrating STEM subjects together

(Harwell et al., 2015). The skills that will help

students become vocationally successful are ones

taught in a STEM curriculum that focus on

teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, and

product creation and completion (Ejiwale, 2012).

When STEM is fully integrated together, the

connections between the individual subjects can

foster real life problem solving that both deepens

and broadens student understanding while increasing

student interest (Harwell et al., 2015).

The Center for the Study of Mathematics and

Curriculum (2012) workshop series encouraged

researchers to, “...design, develop, and test a

segment of curriculum that focuses on new goals for

mathematics or science education or a new

organization of the sequence of curriculum or uses

new medium to engage students and/or structure

instruction focused on traditional goals” (p. 12).

Education can help encourage STEM engagement

through active participation in hands on activities

that get students excited about the STEM subjects

(Ejiwale, 2012). The restructure to STEM benefits

from a strong framework, and needs a way that

teachers can assess if learning occurred.

The restructure tested by the authors was the use

of a project based STEM transmedia intervention

book in a middle school setting. The book has

optional projects using digital fabrication with

students being able to print the digitally fabricated

object on a 3D printer. The book is considered an

intervention as it can be completed in under twenty

hours of class time. Depending on teacher choice,

certain chapters can be used or not used to create a

series of STEM projects that build on each other, or

as individual projects that are different than the

standard curriculum used in the classroom filling the

teachers’ desired timeframe. The book itself was

designed to have each chapter as a separate project,

facilitating a framework for Project Based Learning

(PBL). Different forms of assessment were used to

assess the different parts of the transmedia PBL

implementation.

2 PROJECT BASED LEARNING

PBL encourages hands on projects that develop

twenty-first century skills (Rogers et al., 2010;

Johnson and Delawsky, 2013). PBL is pedagogically

built upon student-centered inquiry through group

collaboration (Johnson and Delawsky, 2013), and

focuses more on developing solutions within a

142

Stansell, A., Tyler-Wood, T. and Morel, G.

Assessing Project based Learning with 3D Printing.

In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2016) - Volume 2, pages 142-146

ISBN: 978-989-758-179-3

dynamic environment that does not have only one

correct answer (Rogers et al., 2010). PBL challenges

students with a main question that requires them to

apply multiple knowledge bases through critical

thinking and collaboration to create and present an

end project solution (Schwalm and Tylek, 2012).

PBL can be adapted to many different

instructional contents because it allows students to

naturally pull from different contents to synthesize a

solution to an authentic task (Schwalm and Tylek,

2012). PBL is adaptable to different contents and

allows students to custom design their own learning

path based on what they feel they need to learn to be

successful. For PBL to have the necessary flexibility

to be successful, the pedagogy of the educator who

is implementing a PBL unit might need to

experience a shift towards being a facilitator (Rogers

et al., 2010) as the educator guides students to

become responsible for their own learning instead of

waiting for the teacher to entertain them with new

knowledge (Johnson and Delawsky, 2013).

The educator, and in this study, the transmedia

book, outlines the main challenge goal. Then,

students begin to research and use inquiry to start

solving the challenge. The educator helps to

facilitate the students through their inquiry path. The

final project solution is tested, presented, or

otherwise shared so students can reflect and receive

feedback. The transmedia book presented a

challenge that students could custom engineer a

filter that combined everyday materials with plastic

printed pieces on a 3D printer that students digitally

designed.

2.1 2D Cutters and 3D Printers

Computers can connect to specialized printers that

can move beyond putting ink on paper, by cutting

the paper to complete different projects that are

digitally designed. A 2-Dimensional (2D) object is

one that has only two measurable dimensions, such

as length and width, but lacks height. A 3-

Dimensional (3D) object has three measurable

components, length, width, and height.

2D cutters can connect to its manufactures’

software through electronic devices and allow a user

to custom design how a piece of paper will be cut. A

user can have a shape outline cut completely or mix

types of cuts such as a perforated cut to allow the

user to remove and fold a section of paper into a 3D

object. The process allows for the use of precise

measurements of products that can be produced

multiple times in the exact same manner. The 2D

cutter helps students begin to understand the

concepts of measurement and geometric reasoning

during the construction and deconstruction of

objects as they cross between 2D and 3D forms.

3D printers connect to a manufactures’ software

to take a Computer Aided Design (CAD) and break

it down into printer movements that allow the printer

to physically create a 3D object. The 3D printer lays

down layer after layer of the printer material, adding

the third dimension of height to the length and width

of the printed object. The CAD design of an object

can be developed through different types of software

that vary in complexity. Autodesk Inventor is an

example of a full software package that has many

features necessary to precisely make an object.

Another example is tinkercad.com, a free online

website that a person can use to create and export a

3D design. Once exported, the design can be

imported and interpreted by a 3D printer’s software

and printed to make a physical object with the

specifications outlined in a digital file. In this study

the printed material was ABS plastic, so students

digital designs became a solid printed hard plastic

piece.

2.2 Transmedia

Transmedia books outline learning through the mesh

of digital and physical activities (Pictus and Power,

2012) combining fiction and non-fiction writing

allowing “...new intertextual engagements” (Voigts

and Nicklas, 2013, p. 141). Transmedia is an

example of media convergence in which different

mediums add to the story (Freeman, 2014). The

transmedia story Engineers Needed: Help Tamika

Save the Farm! encouraged the reader to use QR

codes to search sources, view videos, problem solve

using digital fabrication with a 2D cutter and 3D

printer, and create a digital platform to share their

solutions with others.

Transmedia books have the potential to be

student centred, self-directed, and designed to

accommodate different learning styles (Parker and

McDonald, 2014). Transmedia books accomplish

these tasks by having different reading and skill

levels embedded within the same book, through the

use of different QR codes. Upon a casual glance, the

books students are using would appear the same,

though they can be geared towards specific students’

needs. The vocabulary could also be changed to fit

different levels of readers, yet use the same project

constructs, allowing for members of a class to be

supported at the appropriate level in a discrete way.

Transmedia encourages a non-linear format focused

on the readers experience (Parker and McDonald,

Assessing Project based Learning with 3D Printing

143

2014) so the way in which each learner moves

through the story and utilizes technology to

complete projects will be unique. The unique paths

of the learners support individual student success, in

addition to being able to adjust the technology

students use. Students can connect to the links in the

book through hand held personal devices, tablets, or

computers, and use whatever adaptive software they

already have on that device to help them access

information.

2.3 Transmedia PBL with 3D Printing

The transmedia book offered the framework for

students to move through projects that could build

upon previous projects, or be used as separate

independent agricultural engineering projects. There

were projects that could optionally involve using

digital fabrication to use a 2D cutter or a 3D printer

in the development of the final project solution.

Students in the study had certain project parameters

defined by existing tools and previous book projects.

Students had to consider these factors when

developing a solution. Part of the process for

solution development was understanding

measurement in metric and standard formats to be

able to determine and create a CAD solution that

could be printed by the 3D printer to use as a pivotal

project solution piece. Students could directly apply

the concepts of measurement and see how incorrect

math would result in a project piece that would not

function, creating additional work to modify the

design after the object was printed. Students had the

opportunity to use different modelling software, to

be fit their individual needs in the digital creation

process. Students could take advanced routes or

more introductory routes to design a unique project

solution. In the study, a water filter frame was

designed, printed, and built upon to filter water from

previous chapter projects.

The 3D printing for a solution utilized

technologies to bring components of math,

engineering a solution, and science concept

application to create a project solution to an ill-

structured problem. Through the act of digital

fabrication and 3D printing, students could imagine,

design, and create a solution in a unique way that

showed how the individual subjects are

interdependent in a real world way.

3 ASSESSMENT

As the projects vary so widely in product design and

printed form, the assessment of PBL projects can be

daunting. Assessment of PBL can take many forms.

Two forms of assessment, formative and summative

should be used. Formative assessments are

conducted as an on-going process in and during the

context of learning that can help with evaluating

complex learning tasks (Spector, 2013). Formative

assessment suits PBL, as it is a performance-based

assessment that moves beyond the students’ ability

to recall information (Boss, 2012). Technologies are

being developed that can help with formative

assessments; two such examples are dynamic

concept mapping and stealth assessment (Spector,

2013). These technologies allow for the learner to

get feedback and be redirected during the course of

learning and developing potential ill-structured

problem solutions (Spector, 2013).

Even if advanced technologies, such as the two

examples given, are not available it is still possible

for teachers to facilitate and report on student’s

knowledge acquisition from the way in which the

project solution development occurs over time.

During this study a learning management system

was used to help track student project development,

provide feedback, and compare student project

solutions.

Different learning management systems exist

that allow an educator to provide resources and

expand the traditional classroom (Al-Busaidi and

Al-Shihi, 2011) to provide a supportive environment

that encourages active participation of the user, and

an evaluation and feedback tool for educators (Gecer

and Dag, 2012). The learning management system

provides a framework for students to report their

progress and share their knowledge in a relatively

controlled space which is important for students

under the age of 18. Educators can view student

progress and provide formative feedback to help the

projects improve, or provide summative feedback at

the conclusion of a project after seeing what the

students have learned.

While formative assessments meet the needs of

PBL, schools in the United States must still

acknowledge the summative state assessment (boss,

2012) and the need to translate formative

assessments into benchmarks of summative

knowledge gains that can be compared on a wider

scale. Development of appropriate STEM based

summative assessments should include different

perspectives from teachers and curriculum

specialists to identify the purpose of the assessment,

the knowledge domains, and the potential burden of

the assessment (Harwell et al., 2015). If an

assessment requires too much time to grade, is too

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expensive, or takes too much class time, then the

assessment will not be used for large numbers of

students (Harwell, et. al, 2015).

For the STEM transmedia book, an assessment

was developed from previously released eighth

grade questions from The International Mathematics

and Science Study (TIMSS) assessments. The

released TIMSS questions are each identified with a

content domain, topic area, cognitive domain, and

historical mean achievement score for different

countries (TIMSS 2011 Assessment). The TIMSS

questions include both short answer and multiple

choice test items. Depending on the teachers needs,

either or both types of questions can be used in a

summative assessment to gather an understanding of

comparative student performance. The TIMSS may

allow for both quantitative and qualitative

assessments of student achievement. However, this

type of assessment provides only a snapshot of

students’ ability to apply information to a new and

relatively connected math and subject topic or

thinking process.

Another option for assessment that can be both a

formative and summative tool is rubrics. Rubrics can

be as simple as checklists or detailed enough to

assess large projects for student performance (Jeong,

2015). Rubrics can provide specific feedback and

expectations to a learner to allow them revise their

work based on specific benchmarks for success,

which in turn allows students to perform better in the

future (Lipnevich et al., 2013). Rubrics can be

implemented into learning management systems,

formatively and summatively. When teachers are

trained, know how to use rubrics, and the rubrics are

developed by experts, rubrics can add, “...reliability,

validity, and transparency in classroom assessment”

(Jeong, 2015, p. 13). However, it is not always

possible within a classroom setting to have expertly

developed rubrics with ample training to support the

use of the rubrics. Furthermore, having a preset

rubric that students do not help develop may make

the project-based learning feeling less authentic and

impact students’ performance.

Studies should be conducted exploring teachers’

ability to identify over-arching goals and appropriate

rubric framework, with students input. Students

should have the opportunity to collaborate with the

teacher to define project benchmarks for success and

have input into how benchmarks fit into the

teacher’s overall learning goals. The act of students

quantifying and qualifying what success looks like

before a project begins helps students know the

benchmarks, and allows teacher to assess if students

have a clear vision for the end performance goals.

Collaborative rubric development sets the

expectations and provides an on-going check for

students and teachers to identify progress on a

project. The same rubric may then be used at the

conclusion of a project to determine if the learning

and project objectives were achieved.

A rubric provides flexibility to address different

parts of the transmedia project, including being able

to break down individual tasks, such as a category

for the research in project solution, the digital design

of an object, the efficacy of the 3D printed object,

and the presentation of the project solution. Each of

these categories is important in the final project, and

may be lost or obscured in importance when the

summative assessment is represented in a single

percentage score. While the performance score is

important, the rubric allows an additional layer that

fosters student growth within the project.

Project-based STEM transmedia expands past

one media and one form of learning. Teachers

should consider using different types of assessments

that can provide a whole picture of the individual

components that create a complex learning

environment. As a teacher or researcher, it is

important to understand what the options are and

what is being learned to determine the best

assessment tool, or combination of tools, for

measuring learning goals, objectives, or behaviours

in a classroom using a transmedia PBL STEM book.

The use of the transmedia book has the potential

to offer benefits to students, as can be seen through

these different types of assessments. Further

research into STEM transmedia books with 3D

printing projects through different types of

assessment is encouraged, as in the study by the

authors, students who experienced the transmedia

book with the 3D printing project showed increased

math achievement and showed a more positive

perception of math (Stansell, 2016) when compared

to the students who did not participate with 3D

printing during the implementation period. Using a

variety of focused assessments can lead to different

insights for students, teachers, and researchers, after

using a STEM transmedia PBL book and 3D

printing in the classroom.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The study and research was made possible in part by

the collaborative NSF grant #1510289 and the Fab

@ School NSF ITEST grant # 1030865.

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145

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