A Phenomenography Study of STEM Teachers’ Conceptions of Using Three-Dimensional Modeling and Printing (3DMP) in Teaching

Abstract

There is a large amount of research that indicates that the use of 3DMP in STEM education improves students’ knowledge, motivation, and participation in the learning process. Nevertheless, despite the existing attempts to market 3DMP in education, its adoption in schools remains low. A number of studies with teachers in secondary schools and colleges indicate that teachers’ perceptions of 3DMP are one of the key factors for its successful use. However, to our best knowledge, there is no research that examined STEM upper primary school teachers’ perception on 3DMP. Through phenomenographic approach, this study is seeking to address the existing gaps. Four conceptions of 3DMP teaching emerged: (1) 3DMP as tools for classroom modernization; (2) 3DMP technical and software characteristics’ impact on implementation; (3) 3DMP as a tool for learning and improvement in teaching; (4) 3DMP and students’ professional orientation, teachers’ professional development. These four categories are connected by five key aspects of variation: impact on students, impact on teachers, classroom activity management, authenticity, subject-curriculum matters. The results of our study indicate that the mathematics and science teachers have a more sophisticated opinion on 3DMP than teachers of technical education, engineering, and informatics who mostly require additional training when it comes to using 3DMP in STEM education. Comparatively, science and mathematics teachers need support with implementation of software and 3D printers as a technical tool. Considering that this study’s teachers were early adopters of 3DMP, any future research should explore conceptions of experienced users.

Cross-cultural examination of 3D modelling and 3D printing in STEAM education: comparing results from teachers in Montenegro and Austria

“…To motivate teachers, we asked them to design items they would 'find useful for the classroom' and to send us developed ideas as a competition. After one year, we interviewed teachers still using 3DMP to get opinions (Anđić et al, 2022b). As described in Saunders and Townsend (2018), we used purposive participant selection, based on different ages and teaching experience, to achieve heterogeneity and cover important aspects that may be related to STEAM education by using 3DMP, following suggestions of Åkerlind (2012) and Green (2005).…”

Enhancing research skills of schoolchildren through 3D modeling

“…Anđić et. al develop the ideas, noting that 3D modeling contributes to [27]: formation and development of students' creative and technical abilities; organizing the educational process based on sociocultural, spiritual, and moral values; creating and providing the necessary conditions for personal development, health promotion, professional self-determination, and creative development; formation of a common culture. The peculiarity of their methodological approach is that B. Anđić et.…”

“…The peculiarity of their methodological approach is that B. Anđić et. al make the case for the importance of preparing teachers themselves to incorporate 3D into science teaching [27]. According to their conclusions, teachers of physics, biology, and chemistry need additional special technical training to fully realize the didactic potential of 3D.…”

“…al, few teachers are using this new environment and technology directly in the classroom. Hence, only a select few students benefit from modeling and prototyping [27].…”

Phenomenography: An emerging qualitative research design for nursing

“…Subsequent work led to the evolution of phenomenography as a distinct qualitative methodology which is less interested in individual meaning (i.e., meaning constructed by a person) than it is in emphasizing collective meaning (i.e., meaning of a phenomenon from a group perspective) and focuses on 'reflective' experience (an awareness after an individual has reflected on the experience) rather than 'prereflective' (an awareness before an individual does any reflection) experience (Ashworth & Lucas, 1998;Booth, 1997;Marton, 1986Marton, , 1994Svensson, 1997). From these early roots, phenomenography has evolved as a frequently used qualitative approach to research education in various disciplines such as physics (Ornek, 2008), higher education (Entwistle, 1997;Stolz, 2020;Tight, 2016), engineering (Dringenberg et al, 2015;Mann et al, 2007) and mathematics (Anđić et al, 2023).…”