Nathalie Ramirez  

EDIT 4100 
CSULA 
12/5/18 

Introduction: 
In “Why 3D Print? The 21st-Century Skills Students Develop While Engaging in 3D 
Printing Projects”, Torrey Trust & Robert W. Maloy discuss the use of 3D Printers.This 
technology is intended to create innovative possibilities for all users. The purpose of the study 
was to discover some of the benefits of the use of these printers in the classroom.  

Summary: 
This study collected the surveys of 51 educators that offered open-ended comments about 
the use of 3D printing in the classroom. During this study, we see how incorporating the use of 
3D printing projects in the curriculum could benefit the students in many different ways. It is 
argued that in this current age, the education of our students should include more hands-on and 
experience-based rather than passive learning. In this digital age, children must become more 
acquainted with adequate technological skills. This study focused on how children learn through 
building and creating with advanced technology. They asked their subjects questions that would 
help them discover what skills students developed and how the teachers felt about the 
development.  
From their data, the researchers inferred that four main skills are acquired through 3D 
printer hands-on projects. These skills are: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and 
problem-solving. Along with these, leadership skills, self-directed learning, flexibility also play a 
big part in the learning process during these projects. Most participants in the survey mentioned 
that their students gained anywhere from 1-15 skills. 90% of participants agreed that creativity 
was a skill obtained by participating students. Although some issues do arise with the technology 
because it is relatively new, most educators that are using it in the classroom outweigh these 
issues with the benefits it provides the students. 

Conclusion: 
I chose this article because I agree that our new age requires that students become fluent 
in the langage and use of technology. I have never had a personal experience with a 3D printer 
but I have run into several articles that have informed me of the endless poissibilityies of projects 
through these printers. I have seen how they enhance the medical and scientific world, along 
with the way and how they can create ecological changes that can take the earth several steps 
forward. I thought that the findings of this study were very clear, and I believe in these results 
wholeheartedly. I see how the incorporation of this type of technology could enhance the 
learning of many kids who are tactile and visual learners, who can benefit greatly from hands-on 
learning. I could see how it could turn students into natural leaders who practice becoming 
innovative participants. These and many other benefits are evident and therefore I think this 
research was very important.