Into the Driver's Seat

"Rich Lehrer knew that 3D printers could do more than spit out keychains and Yoda heads. In 2013, he led a group of eighth graders at the Brookwood School in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts that designed and printed a prosthetic hand for Lehrer’s then 3-year-old son, Max. 

. . . it was a suggestion from a colleague that unleashed the full potential of 3D printing and Making as a way to teach middle school students design thinking skills—as well as empathy and collaboration.

But it was a suggestion from a colleague that unleashed the full potential of 3D printing and Making as a way to teach middle school students design thinking skills—as well as empathy and collaboration.

The idea? Have the students work with senior citizens to identify real world problems that could be addressed by designing and prototyping solutions."