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Bandsaw VS CNC - Making a Flat Pack Stool

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Hexagon Stool Fusion 360 CNC Flatpack Design for Shopbot

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Great instructional video on how to use Fusion 360 to design a flat pack stool

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How to design flat pack stool in Fusion 360

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Thanks Darrel Hawksworth, for this fantastic resource on how you can use technology to engage students in rich learning experiences

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For teachers just starting out with educational technology, the task at hand can sometimes seem daunting. Even though tools such as the SAMR model can help, the plethora of choices available can prove paralyzing, frequently resulting in ongoing substitutive uses of the technology that block, rather than enable, more ambitious transformative goals.

The approach below is designed to help overcome this barrier, and is inspired in its form by Alexander's notion of Design Patterns -- a clearly structured solution to a recurring design problem -- which has been applied to education scenarios by Bergin et al. While it is not laid out exactly as a design pattern would be, it nonetheless provides a framework that a teacher could use in similar fashion.

The goal for the teacher is to construct a simple SAMR ladder that is coupled to Bloom's Revised Taxonomy -- i.e., as the task moves from lower to upper levels of the taxonomy, it also moves from lower to upper levels of SAMR. The two Enhancement levels of SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation) are associated with the three lower levels of Bloom (Remember, Understand, Apply), while the two Transformation levels of SAMR (Modification, Redefinition) are associated with the upper levels of Bloom (Analyze, Evaluate, Create). In turn, within each grouping a similar ordering occurs -- e.g., Remember-type tasks are primarily associated with S-level uses of the technology, Understand-type tasks are associated with either S- or A-level uses of the technology, and so on. The following diagram illustrates this association.

This coupling of the SAMR model and Bloom's Taxonomy has several desirable outcomes:

The already-familiar drive to reach the upper levels of Bloom's Taxonomy now also acts as a drive to reach the upper levels of SAMR;

The approach outlines a clear set of steps that help guide the introduction of technology in the classroom;

Finally, the approach helps avoid pitfalls of self deception -- i.e., assuming that a particular task is at a higher level in either the Bloom or SAMR sense than it actually is.

Avoid epic fails and get the most out of technology.

It is important to realize that this association between SAMR and Bloom's Taxonomy is not a necessary -- or even habitual -- coupling. Thus, it is possible to use extremely powerful redefinition-level approaches to make certain types of memorization tasks possible; conversely, it is also possible to undertake novel create-type tasks that only make basic substitution/augmentation use of the technology. Additionally, far more complex couplings between SAMR and Bloom are possible, involving convergent/divergent branchings, oscillations between levels, skipping of some SAMR levels, etc. Nonetheless, the simple structure described above is well suited to beginning practitioners' needs, and even retains usefulness for more experienced faculty.

In addition to the integration of SAMR and Bloom described above, two more ingredients are necessary for the best results:

a clear motivation for the change -- the best results are obtained when a teacher has a strong reason for changing existing practice that is independent of the introduction of technology.

a clean app flow, designed to move through the tasks, that is as simple as possible, avoiding needless complexity -- e.g., in transferring work products from one app to the next.

Finally, let's look at an example of this approach in practice. In this example, we will set up a general pattern for math activities, where the motivating factor is to take math instruction from a mode where -- to use Richard Skemp's words -- instrumental understanding dominates (how) to a mode where relational understanding is primary (how and why). This shift in math instruction can be seen in changes in curricula worldwide, and is crucial to students' capacity to use -- and enjoy -- the math they have learned in the world outside the classroom. In the interest of making the example more tangible, the context will be a course in introductory statistics, although the general pattern is readily applicable to other math courses.

1. Substitution/Remember: Students use ebooks and other Open Education Resources to acquire basic knowledge about statistical tools and procedures.

2. Substitution/Understand: At the same time, they begin a process of gathering information online describing applications of these statistical tools to an area of interest to them, using simple bookmark aggregation services (e.g., Diigo, Delicious) to collect and tag these resources, relating them to the knowledge gained in 1.

3. Augmentation/Apply: Using a simple yet powerful tool for visualization like GeoGebra, students explore the concepts covered in the resources described in 1., and solve related standard problems. The scope and number of the problems is not governed by what is available in the "back of the book," but rather driven by the evolution of student understanding, as measured by suitable formative assessment processes.

4. Modification/Analyze: The students also apply similar problem-solving approaches to questions raised in the materials they found in 2. In doing so, they will reconstruct the reasoning of the original authors, and verify -- or disprove -- their conclusions.

5. Modification/Evaluate: Students now select a subset of the materials studied in 4. for further critique and/or development, using GeoGebra as their primary analysis tool. Via a blog, they explain this work to fellow students, and invite their feedback to refine both the clarity of their explanations and the focus of their work.

6. Redefinition/Create: Students refine their blog post into a short digital video project, with the goal that it will be used as part of instructional materials in subsequent years.

Photo " sky puzzle" by Jared Tarbell. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

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SAMR and Bloom's Taxonomy: Assembling the Puzzle | Common Sense Education

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Find out how you can use technology to engage students in rich learning experiences.

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The Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0 sets the expectations for what all young Australians should be taught, regardless of their background or where they live.

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Protocols for engaging First Nations Australians

When planning teaching activities involving engagement with First Nations Australians, teachers should follow protocols that describe principles, procedures and behaviours for recognising and respecting First Nations Australians and their intellectual property. Teachers should use approved resources such as those that may be provided by their state or territory school system, or First Nations Australian education consultative groups, or other protocols accredited by First Nations Australians.

While the Australian Curriculum uses the terms "First Nations Australians" and "Australian First Nations Peoples" there may be other terms that First Nations Australians of a particular area or location prefer. It is important to use the terms preferred in a particular area or location.

Meeting the needs of diverse learners

The Australian Curriculum values diversity by providing for multiple means of representation, action, expression and engagement and allows schools the flexibility to respond to the diversity of learners within their community.

All schools have a responsibility when implementing the Australian Curriculum to ensure that students' learning is inclusive, and relevant to their experiences, abilities and talents.

For some students with diverse languages, cultures, abilities and talents it may be necessary to provide a range of curriculum adjustments so they can access age-equivalent content in the Australian Curriculum and participate in learning on the same basis as their peers.

Depending on the ability and interests of each student, adjustments to the tools, equipment, processes, materials, systems and components used in Technologies may be necessary to provide equitable opportunities for students or to provide a safer learning experience.

The broad content and having high expectations for all learners allows for the creation of solutions through many modalities, with appropriate adjustment. Assistive technologies and augmentative and alternative communication devices should be made available as and where appropriate.

Adjustments to the delivery of Technologies could involve actions such as:

providing innovation opportunities and scaffolding of resources for students to access and engage in learning at their own pace as a review or extension activity

acknowledging the assistive technology continuum of no tech, low tech, mid tech or high tech when planning learning experiences

designing open-ended tasks that provide flexibility and can be completed at different levels of complexity

selecting Technologies content in keeping with the goals of the student, maintaining high expectations and considering safety, including adjusting the types of materials, equipment and digital tools used.

Identifying and managing risk in the Technologies learning area addresses the safe use of technologies as well as risks that can affect project timelines. It covers all necessary aspects of health, safety and injury prevention and, in any Technologies situation, the use of potentially dangerous materials, tools and equipment. It includes ergonomics, online safety, and ethical and legal considerations when communicating and collaborating online.

Technologies learning experiences may involve the use of potentially hazardous substances and hazardous equipment. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that duty of care is exercised in relation to the health and safety of all students and that school practices meet the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 in addition to relevant state or territory health and safety guidelines.

In implementing projects with a focus on food, care also must be taken with regard to food safety and specific food allergies that may result in anaphylactic reactions. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy has published guidelines for prevention of anaphylaxis in schools, preschools and childcare. Some states and territories have their own specific guidelines that should be followed.

When planning to incorporate immersive technologies - augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality or extended reality - in learning experiences, teachers should consider the manufacturer's guidelines as well as other issues including the physical, cognitive, linguistic, emotional, social and moral developmental stage of learners. See the eSafety Commissioner's explicit advice on the risks of immersive technologies use in its position statement: www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/tech-trends-and-challenges/immersive-tech

The use of drones (remotely piloted aircraft) or model aircraft for educational purposes at education institutions is considered "flying for fun" under Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) guidelines; however, teachers should also consider their education jurisdiction's governance standards. CASA's Drones at school webpage www.casa.gov.au/drones/drones-at-school lists requirements and tips for teachers and educators on issues such as health, safety and privacy for any drone operation. State and territory school education authorities can give further and more detailed advice on drones in schools.

Privacy and security

Identifying and managing the implications of and concerns related to the collection and generation of data through automated and non-automated processes addresses the risks that can affect secure engagement with digital systems.

Privacy includes recognising the risks that are faced online and the mitigation strategies involved in managing them. In Australia, guidance on best practice for privacy is informed by the Australian Privacy Principles, the cornerstone of the privacy protection framework in the Privacy Act 1988. For more information visit: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles

Security covers the development of appropriate technical, social, cognitive, communicative and decision-making skills to address online and network security risks. It includes data security, and ethical and legal considerations when working with and designing digital systems. When engaging with and designing digital systems, identifying and managing security threats and mitigation in a data-intensive world is paramount.

In Australia, guidance on best practice for cyber security is informed by the cyber security principles. These principles provide strategic guidance on how individuals and organisations can protect their systems and data from cyber threats.

For more information visit: www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/view-all-content/guidance

Copyright

Identifying and managing the implications of copyright and intellectual property in the Technologies learning area addresses the ethical and legal responsibilities around ownership and repurposing of designs and digital content. It covers all necessary aspects of plagiarism, copyright, fair use and licensing and, in any Technologies situation, the respect of intellectual property rights.

In Australia, copyright law is contained in the Copyright Act 1968. For more copyright information and resources see:

Smartcopying: https://smartcopying.edu.au

Australian Copyright Council: https://www.copyright.org.au

Australian Digital Alliance: https://digital.org.au

Creative Commons Australia: https://creativecommons.org.au

Short Guide to Copyright: www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-centre/publications/short-guide-copyright

Intellectual property

Intellectual property laws include protection for registered designs, products and plant varieties and should be respected when students are designing solutions (including digital systems and repurposing computer code).

For more information and resources visit IP Australia: www.ipaustralia.gov.au

See Smartcopying https://smartcopying.edu.au/contact-us for relevant contact details.

For more information about relevant guidelines for safety, cyber security, copyright and intellectual property, teachers should contact their state or territory education authority.

Designing for safety and equity

There are opportunities in Technologies for students to apply Safety by Design principles and universal design principles when designing solutions.

Safety by Design focuses on the ways designers of digital solutions can minimise online threats by anticipating, detecting and eliminating online harms before they occur. This proactive and preventive approach focuses on embedding safety into the culture of the design process. It emphasises accountability and aims to foster more positive, civil and rewarding online experiences for everyone.

For more information go to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. The Safety by Design Vision for Young People is available at: www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/safety-by-design/principles-and-background

The eSafety Commissioner also has specific advice for educators via its Toolkit for Schools resources: www.esafety.gov.au/educators/toolkit-schools

The 7 Principles of Universal Design were developed to guide the design of environments, products and communications. The universal design principles provide an opportunity to create solutions that respond to the changing circumstances of people and to changes in technologies. When students apply the principles, they create products that change and adapt for everyone. In Technologies, the 7 principles may be applied to evaluate existing designed and digital solutions, guide students through the design process and provide them with guidance on the characteristics which support products, services and environments so they are more accessible and usable by consumers.

For more information and to further explore these principles visit: https://universaldesignaustralia.net.au

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This page describes the rationale, aims, structure, key considerations, key connections and supporting resources for the Technologies learning area.

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Incorporating technology has always been a part of our teaching, but now with distance learning and teaching digitally, we have to incorporate more than ever! Learn about the SAMR model and how it affects online learning and the technology you use in the online classroom!

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TPACK: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework - Educational Technology

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What is TPACK? Technology has become an increasingly important part of students’ lives beyond school, and even within the classroom it can also help

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CNC machinists are vital to the manufacturing industry in Australia

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CNC Manufacturing Pty Ltd: Lilydale Victoria 3140, P: (03) 9735 9794, E: sales@cncmanufacturing.com.au. Call now for a quote.

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CNC machining finds applications across numerous industries, such as aerospace, energy, electronics, automotive, manufacturing, and more.

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In recent decades, CNC machining has helped to revolutionise the field of engineering, emerging as a dominant method of manufacturing. Within this article, we explore CNC machining, and discover the diverse range of CNC services available.

The History of the CNC Machine

Its inception is often attributed to John Parsons. An esteemed computer pioneer, Parsons contributed his expertise to an Air Force Research Project focusing on the improvement of helicopter blades and aircraft skin.

Parsons harnessed the computational power of an IBM 602A multiplier to precisely calculate the coordinates of helicopter airfoils. These calculations were then meticulously recorded onto punched cards, which he subsequently employed with a Swiss jig borer. This groundbreaking approach ultimately facilitated the production of numerous helicopter blades and aircraft skins.Within CNC history, this pioneering effort is recognised as the birth of the first CNC machine.

Understanding CNC Machining

Delving deeper into CNC machining, we shed light on the mechanics, advantages, and industries in which CNC machining shines.CNC machining removes material (rather than adding it) to create a finished part. Starting with a material block, CNC machines employ high-speed cutters to carve the material into the desired shape meticulously.

Operation

CNC machines are directed by digitalised computers that automate, oversee, and control industrial machinery movements. Larger-scale industrial facilities typically integrate computers within the machines.The precise actions guided by this code vary depending on the type of CNC machine used.

Industries Utilising CNC Machining

CNC machining finds applications across numerous industries, such as aerospace, energy, electronics, automotive, manufacturing, and more. It is particularly valuable in sectors where precision is paramount.CNC machining caters to a wide array of industries, offering versatility in creating accurate parts.

Types of CNC Machines

Milling Machines: Renowned for precision, CNC milling employs built-in tools for drilling and cutting. These machines use computer-guided drilling and cutting tools to shape materials.

Lathe Machines: CNC turning involves rotating the material while cutting it, as opposed to moving cutting tools. CNC lathe machines manipulate and position materials as per computer instructions.

Plasma-cutting Machines: Similar to milling machines, plasma-cutting CNC machines are used for cutting materials. They use a high-powered plasma torch capable of cutting through tough materials like metal.

Laser-cutting Machines: In contrast to plasma cutting, laser-cutting CNC machines use lasers for precision cutting.

Benefits of CNC Machining

CNC machining offers numerous advantages:

Ideal for Large Quantities: It is cost-effective for producing moderate to large quantities of parts.

Compatibility with Various Materials: They can work with a wide range of materials, including metals like aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium alloy, and more.

Rapid Production: They are known for its quick turnaround times.

Exceptional Accuracy: They deliver precise results, with tolerances as tight as +/- 0.005mm achievable.

Versatile Finishing Options: They allows for a variety of post-processing and finishing options, including anodizing, polishing, plating, and heat treatment.

CNC machining is reliable, precise, and diverse in terms of its applicability. Simply select the right supplier and digital manufacturing platform when ordering your parts, and success is within reach.

Automating your CNC Machine

At ASA we take CNC machining to a whole other level by automating your CNC machine robotically. Are you looking to automate your CNC machine? At ASA we work with all brands of machine tools, including Okuma, DMG Mori, Mazak, Doosan, Haas and many, many more. To read up on robotic CNC Machine Automation, and all it entails, click here.

Watch this short video below to see one of our FANUC robots, robotically tending to a machine:

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CNC Machines Australia: Your Comprehensive Guide

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In recent decades, the CNC machine has helped to revolutionise the field of engineering, emerging as a dominant method of manufacturing.

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Time to Upskill

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The Australian workforce must prepare for a major shake-up. New research predicts that 1.3 million full-time jobs - or 9.9% of Australia's working population - will be automated in the next four years as AI becomes mainstream.

AI will also deliver notable productivity gains by significantly "augmenting" - or increasing the efficiency of roles to boost productivity - 6.6% of jobs (885.2k) while also adding the equivalent of 2.8% more full-time employees (369.2k people) who will be needed to implement new technologies.

Research from Pearson, commissioned by ServiceNow, uses machine learning to predict how technology will transform the tasks that make up each job and the broader impact on Australia's labour force and economy. This data analysis on skills and jobs includes reviewing over 10 million job adverts on platforms like LinkedIn.

The research reveals that roles with high levels of repetitive and technical tasks will be most impacted by AI, with bank workers (45.8% of roles set to be automated), bookkeepers (38.2%), accounts clerks (37.5%), checkout operators (36.9%), and finance brokers (36.8%) the most likely to be affected by 2027.

"The automation revolution has begun. In the next four years, we believe AI will become an essential tool for people across industries. Unlocking the huge economic and productivity gains will require businesses, governments, and individuals understanding what shifts will occur, and prioritising skills and using the right technology platforms to take advantage. This will help reverse declining Australian productivity, and it will also address skills shortages by freeing-up talent to work in the most in-demand areas," says Eric Swift, VP and Managing Director of ServiceNow Australia and New Zealand.

Even jobs that aren't fully automated will likely be transformed by integrating AI into work as technology takes on more tasks. The research predicts Australian organisations are set for AU$91.8 billion in productivity gains and savings, highlighting the need for upskilling and reskilling for the nation to benefit.

"Throughout history, we have used machines to eliminate repetitive work and by embracing AI, business leaders and governments have a huge opportunity to make work better. This research shows how we can transform our workforce and economy of scale to help ensure people are doing work that people do best," continued Swift.

The 2022 National Skills Commission annual update showed 286 Australian occupations are currently experiencing national shortages. At the same time, the latest data from the Productivity Commission revealed productivity growth has fallen to a 60-year low.

Many jobs will be heavily 'augmented' by AI - or assisted to increase productivity. The most augmentable jobs in four years will see more than a quarter of their typical tasks taken on by "machine-mates". These jobs include migration agent (31.8% of tasks done by AI), network administrator (29.1%), systems administrator (28.1%), hardware technician (28.0%), and telecommunications engineering professionals (27.8%).

"Leaders embracing AI must start planning for updated job descriptions and team structures today, as new jobs emerge. The priority is identifying the biggest shifts and investing in tailored training pathways to help people reskill. For employees, it's essential they learn how to use AI tools to make themselves more competitive. This will future-proof careers, increase well-being, and make teams more productive," said Swift.

Analysing all the tasks required for over 6,000 jobs, the research also details what alternative career paths are available to individuals who may be impacted, how they can transition into new roles, and what training they will require.

Technology jobs will see some of the most significant increases, with an additional 370,000 new technology roles required to enable Australia's adoption and deployment of technology to meet the projected productivity and economic benefits.

"There is a huge demand for ServiceNow skills in Australia, as more than 60% of the ASX100 and over 100 government agencies and departments use our platform. It's why we have committed to training 1 million people globally with ServiceNow skills, with multiple free programs, including a hybrid, 10-week training bootcamp in Australia - to help people gain the skills they need to succeed," concludes Swift.

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Almost 10% of Australian jobs to be automated by 2027: ServiceNow

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New research outlines how artificial intelligence will create a once-in-a-generation opportunity to upskill Aussie workers.

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AUSTRALIA'S FUTURE WORKFORCE

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CEDA's major research report for 2015, Australia's future workforce? focuses on what jobs and skills we need to develop to ensure our economy continues to grow and diversify.

Discussion around jobs often focuses on the here and now. However, if Australia is to maintain a robust economy that is internationally competitive, we must plan now for the changes, challenges and opportunities we face in developing the right jobs and skills for future generations.

In this report, CEDA examines:

How the next wave of the industrial revolution will fundamentally reshape business activity;

The high probability that 40 per cent of Australia's workforce, more than five million people, could be replaced by automation within the next 10 to 20 years;

Changes that will occur in the five key sectors identified in the Federal Government's innovation plan;

Jobs of the future and exporting and outsourcing opportunities;

How businesses operating on the technological frontier are adapting;

What digital disruption means to existing business practices; and

What policy levers are available to maximise opportunities.

Report launch and events

Launch and event highlights

Report chapters and authors

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CEDA's major research report for 2015, Australia's future workforce? focuses on what jobs and skills we need to develop to ensure our economy continues to grow and diversify. Discussion around jobs often focuses on the here and now.

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The top Aussies jobs most at risk of being replaced by AI

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As AI and automation continues to develop at speed, more and more research is looking at which industries r...

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Thanks Daniel Parslow for this excellent resource! It could definitely be used in design classes, especially to assist students that have difficulty with basic sketching of ideas/concepts.

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How to draw anything - learn sketching for beginners | Julia Bausenhardt

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In this post I want to give you a simple guide on how you can learn to draw anything. You don’t need any special skills or talent for drawing and sketching when you start, it just takes a bit of…

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The journey of developing a new product involves various steps. While it's tempting to dive head-first into the project, you'll do well to remember the adage - ''by failing to prepare, you prepare to fail''.

Planning and testing your ideas before implementing them is the best way to ensure your brand can release the right products. That is what prototyping does - implement ideas into tangible form and explore their real-world impact before finally executing them.

Let's get a closer understanding of what, how, and why of prototyping.

What Is Prototyping

Prototypes are early samples, models, or releases of products built to test a concept or process. There are many contexts in which semantics can be used, for example, in design, electronics, and software programming. Generally, prototypes are used by system analysts and users to improve the precision of a new design.

Prototyping is an essential step in the Design Thinking process and is often used in the final testing phase. Every product has a target audience and is designed to solve their problems in some way. To assess whether a product really solves its users' problems, designers create an almost-working model or mock-up of the product, called a prototype, and test it with prospective users and stakeholders. Thus, prototyping allows designers to test the practicability of the current design and potentially investigate how trial users think and feel about the product. It enables proper testing and exploring design concepts before too many resources get used.

A prototype is a product built to test ideas and changes until it resembles the final product. You can mock-up every feature and interaction in your prototype as in your fully developed product, check if your idea works, and verify the overall user-experience (UX) strategy.

Prototyping allows you to build simple, small-scale prototypes of your products, and use them to observe, record, and assess user performance levels or the users' general behavior and reactions to the overall design. Designers can then make appropriate refinements or possible alterations in the right direction.

Prototypes can be of any form, from simple sketches and storyboards to rough paper prototypes and even role-playing prototypes that enact a service offering. They do not need to be complete products - in fact, you can prototype a part of a product to test that part of your solution. Often, prototypes are quick and rough - designed for early-stage testing and understanding - and at times full-formed and detailed - aimed for pilot trials towards the project's final stages.

To sum up, prototyping allows early iteration of the product during design thinking, thereby validating its core functionality.

What is Prototype in Design

The purpose of a prototype in design thinking is to test products (and product ideas) prior to launch. Prototypes are simulations or samples of final products that are used as testing tools. It is intended to test products (and product ideas) before investing a great deal of time and resources into creating a sellable product

Why We Need to Prototype

One of the key aspects of prototyping is that it generates empathy for prospective consumers. In this respect, designing software or designing products for human use are not much different. Any product designed without understanding the customer's needs can result in unnecessary features, poor designs, and a host of problems.

With prototyping, you can enjoy various benefits like:

Evaluate Technical Feasibility

Creating a prototype makes it possible to concretize an idea and assess which features pose difficulty in implementation. Prototyping can thus identify unanticipated physical, technical, or financial constraints.

Enhance Website Quality

A well-designed prototype will enable you to:

Conduct testing for site usability

Inspect site navigation

Conveniently access information on the site

Determine correct placement of visual accents - what visitors should see first

Effectively Present Idea to Customers

Prototyping makes it possible to present your future product to potential customers before the actual launch of the product. It could also allow you to devise your marketing strategies better and start pre-sales.

Reduced Risks

Projects with a complete prototyping process are at lower risk than projects without prototyping. This is because prototyping directly affects project resources, time, and budget. Through prototyping, it is possible to estimate the resources needed and time for development.

Iterate at Lower Costs

Information gathered from potential customers through prototyping makes it possible to improve the product until an optimal product is formulated. A good idea can be to create several prototypes before the launch of mass production so that the additional costs of unsold products and reprogramming can be curtailed.

Simulate the Future Product

The most important advantage of prototyping is that it creates a model of the final product. It can help lure customers to invest in the product prior to any resource allocation for implementation. You can discover design errors and check their correctness before going into production.

Provide Focused Feedback

Exposing the prototype helps to get focused customer feedback on the desired qualities in the product. This feedback is critical to understand the needs and expectations of users, business requirements and gain a clear idea of what the product is headed for.

Planning

Through prototyping, the design team gets essential information that helps them to plan out the implementation. A prototype helps build user stories and emphasize on user needs. This brings substantial benefits to the scrum teams.

Quick and Easy

A designer can quickly develop a ready-to-implement prototype even from a simple idea on paper if they understand the logic and functionality of the product.

Types of Prototyping

Some of the common types of prototyping that you can use include:

Sketches and Diagrams

Perhaps the most basic form of prototyping, sketching, requires minimal effort and does not necessarily require artistic drawing skills to serve its purpose. Use sketches to begin the process of conceptualizing and building a new product and share the concept with teammates for more ideas and discussions.

Paper Interface

Digital products, especially websites, mobile apps, web services, and other screen-related products, require a range of prototyping methods en route to the final design and development. Paper interfaces prove to be handy for early-stage prototyping for digital products. You can sketch paper interfaces or draw and cut out usable parts of a user interface like a drop-down menu or text field.

Storyboards

Storyboarding is an excellent way of telling stories and guiding targeted customers through a user experience. A technique to be used for early prototyping, storyboards allow you to visualize how users would experience a problem or product and present it in a series of images or sketches. Stories help us gather information on users, tasks, and goals while at the same time evoking new ideas through collaboration with other designers. Drawing out a user's experience helps us better understand their world and to think from their perspective.

Role-Playing

Role-playing or experiential prototyping enables designers to explore situations within the system that you're targeting physically. Role-playing can be best used in capturing and enacting the user's experience of using a product or service. Consider simulating their experience to gain an empathic understanding of users. You can create props, use objects and audio simulations to imitate the user environment.

Physical Models

For a physical product, you can use a wide variety of materials to build a prototype for testing. Physical models are often built using paper, cardboard, clay, foam, or by repurposing existing objects. A physical model is used to bring an intangible idea into a physical, three-dimensional form. This enables much better user testing and can evoke discussions on the form factor of the proposed product.

Wizard of Oz Prototypes

Prototypes with faked functions that you can use to test users are called Wizard of Oz Prototypes. Like in the wizard of Oz story where the wizard creates an ominous, deceptive appearance from behind a screen - this prototype allows you to mimic certain aspects of your product to save time and resources. For example, interactivity that comes from a human and not an algorithm can be tweaked such that users believe the latter is the case. The most famous example of Wizard of Oz Prototypes is a digital system prototype, where the user is tricked into believing that the system responses are computer-generated when they are human-controlled.

User-Driven Prototypes

A user-driven prototype does not test on users but allows the user to create some design, so you learn more about their thinking. This type of prototyping adds to the benefits of design thinking. Its purpose is not to use the user-generated solutions but to use their designs to gain empathy with them or fine-tune your product according to their ideas.

With such a wide variety of prototypes that can be built, it might get overwhelming to decide what to choose. Pay attention to people, objects, location, and interactions while building prototypes in design thinking.

To be an excellent designer, you need to learn how to keep your efforts efficient and consistent.

Learn how to improve your design thinking techniques by enrolling in the Design Thinking Leader Master's program from Simplilearn.

FAQs

Q1. What is prototyping?

Prototyping in a project is creating a sample or model of a project to test the concept.

Q2. What are the different types of prototyping?

The 4 types of project prototyping are feasibility prototypes, low-fidelity user prototypes, high-fidelity user prototypes and live-data prototypes.

Q3. What are popular UI prototyping tools?

Figma, InVision Studio, Adobe XD, Webflow, Axure RP, Origami Studio and Justinmind are some popular prototyping tools.

Q4. What is prototyping in a project?

Prototyping in a project is a technique to experiment with new ideas at a low cost.

What Is Prototyping

Prototypes are early samples, models, or releases of products built to test a concept or process. There are many contexts in which semantics can be used, for example, in design, electronics, and software programming. Generally, prototypes are used by system analysts and users to improve the precision of a new design.

Prototyping is an essential step in the Design Thinking process and is often used in the final testing phase. Every product has a target audience and is designed to solve their problems in some way. To assess whether a product really solves its users' problems, designers create an almost-working model or mock-up of the product, called a prototype, and test it with prospective users and stakeholders. Thus, prototyping allows designers to test the practicability of the current design and potentially investigate how trial users think and feel about the product. It enables proper testing and exploring design concepts before too many resources get used.

A prototype is a product built to test ideas and changes until it resembles the final product. You can mock-up every feature and interaction in your prototype as in your fully developed product, check if your idea works, and verify the overall user-experience (UX) strategy.

Prototyping allows you to build simple, small-scale prototypes of your products, and use them to observe, record, and assess user performance levels or the users' general behavior and reactions to the overall design. Designers can then make appropriate refinements or possible alterations in the right direction.

Prototypes can be of any form, from simple sketches and storyboards to rough paper prototypes and even role-playing prototypes that enact a service offering. They do not need to be complete products - in fact, you can prototype a part of a product to test that part of your solution. Often, prototypes are quick and rough - designed for early-stage testing and understanding - and at times full-formed and detailed - aimed for pilot trials towards the project's final stages.

To sum up, prototyping allows early iteration of the product during design thinking, thereby validating its core functionality.

What is Prototype in Design

The purpose of a prototype in design thinking is to test products (and product ideas) prior to launch. Prototypes are simulations or samples of final products that are used as testing tools. It is intended to test products (and product ideas) before investing a great deal of time and resources into creating a sellable product

Why We Need to Prototype

One of the key aspects of prototyping is that it generates empathy for prospective consumers. In this respect, designing software or designing products for human use are not much different. Any product designed without understanding the customer's needs can result in unnecessary features, poor designs, and a host of problems.

With prototyping, you can enjoy various benefits like:

Evaluate Technical Feasibility

Creating a prototype makes it possible to concretize an idea and assess which features pose difficulty in implementation. Prototyping can thus identify unanticipated physical, technical, or financial constraints.

Enhance Website Quality

A well-designed prototype will enable you to:

Conduct testing for site usability

Inspect site navigation

Conveniently access information on the site

Determine correct placement of visual accents - what visitors should see first

Effectively Present Idea to Customers

Prototyping makes it possible to present your future product to potential customers before the actual launch of the product. It could also allow you to devise your marketing strategies better and start pre-sales.

Reduced Risks

Projects with a complete prototyping process are at lower risk than projects without prototyping. This is because prototyping directly affects project resources, time, and budget. Through prototyping, it is possible to estimate the resources needed and time for development.

Iterate at Lower Costs

Information gathered from potential customers through prototyping makes it possible to improve the product until an optimal product is formulated. A good idea can be to create several prototypes before the launch of mass production so that the additional costs of unsold products and reprogramming can be curtailed.

Simulate the Future Product

The most important advantage of prototyping is that it creates a model of the final product. It can help lure customers to invest in the product prior to any resource allocation for implementation. You can discover design errors and check their correctness before going into production.

Provide Focused Feedback

Exposing the prototype helps to get focused customer feedback on the desired qualities in the product. This feedback is critical to understand the needs and expectations of users, business requirements and gain a clear idea of what the product is headed for.

Planning

Through prototyping, the design team gets essential information that helps them to plan out the implementation. A prototype helps build user stories and emphasize on user needs. This brings substantial benefits to the scrum teams.

Quick and Easy

A designer can quickly develop a ready-to-implement prototype even from a simple idea on paper if they understand the logic and functionality of the product.

Types of Prototyping

Some of the common types of prototyping that you can use include:

Sketches and Diagrams

Perhaps the most basic form of prototyping, sketching, requires minimal effort and does not necessarily require artistic drawing skills to serve its purpose. Use sketches to begin the process of conceptualizing and building a new product and share the concept with teammates for more ideas and discussions.

Paper Interface

Digital products, especially websites, mobile apps, web services, and other screen-related products, require a range of prototyping methods en route to the final design and development. Paper interfaces prove to be handy for early-stage prototyping for digital products. You can sketch paper interfaces or draw and cut out usable parts of a user interface like a drop-down menu or text field.

Storyboards

Storyboarding is an excellent way of telling stories and guiding targeted customers through a user experience. A technique to be used for early prototyping, storyboards allow you to visualize how users would experience a problem or product and present it in a series of images or sketches. Stories help us gather information on users, tasks, and goals while at the same time evoking new ideas through collaboration with other designers. Drawing out a user's experience helps us better understand their world and to think from their perspective.

Role-Playing

Role-playing or experiential prototyping enables designers to explore situations within the system that you're targeting physically. Role-playing can be best used in capturing and enacting the user's experience of using a product or service. Consider simulating their experience to gain an empathic understanding of users. You can create props, use objects and audio simulations to imitate the user environment.

Physical Models

For a physical product, you can use a wide variety of materials to build a prototype for testing. Physical models are often built using paper, cardboard, clay, foam, or by repurposing existing objects. A physical model is used to bring an intangible idea into a physical, three-dimensional form. This enables much better user testing and can evoke discussions on the form factor of the proposed product.

Wizard of Oz Prototypes

Prototypes with faked functions that you can use to test users are called Wizard of Oz Prototypes. Like in the wizard of Oz story where the wizard creates an ominous, deceptive appearance from behind a screen - this prototype allows you to mimic certain aspects of your product to save time and resources. For example, interactivity that comes from a human and not an algorithm can be tweaked such that users believe the latter is the case. The most famous example of Wizard of Oz Prototypes is a digital system prototype, where the user is tricked into believing that the system responses are computer-generated when they are human-controlled.

User-Driven Prototypes

A user-driven prototype does not test on users but allows the user to create some design, so you learn more about their thinking. This type of prototyping adds to the benefits of design thinking. Its purpose is not to use the user-generated solutions but to use their designs to gain empathy with them or fine-tune your product according to their ideas.

With such a wide variety of prototypes that can be built, it might get overwhelming to decide what to choose. Pay attention to people, objects, location, and interactions while building prototypes in design thinking.

To be an excellent designer, you need to learn how to keep your efforts efficient and consistent.

Learn how to improve your design thinking techniques by enrolling in the Design Thinking Leader Master's program from Simplilearn.

FAQs

Q1. What is prototyping?

Prototyping in a project is creating a sample or model of a project to test the concept.

Q2. What are the different types of prototyping?

The 4 types of project prototyping are feasibility prototypes, low-fidelity user prototypes, high-fidelity user prototypes and live-data prototypes.

Q3. What are popular UI prototyping tools?

Figma, InVision Studio, Adobe XD, Webflow, Axure RP, Origami Studio and Justinmind are some popular prototyping tools.

Q4. What is prototyping in a project?

Prototyping in a project is a technique to experiment with new ideas at a low cost.

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Prototyping In Design Thinking: Definition, Types & Benefits | Simplilearn

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The journey of developing a new product involves various steps. While it's tempting to dive head-first into the project, you'll do well to remember the adage - ''by failing to prepare, you prepare to fail''. Planning and testing your ideas before implementing them is the best way to ensure your brand can release the right products.

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Oct 2023|Adrenalin

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The Art & Science of Prototyping: Rapid Iteration & Validation | Adrenalin

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Prototyping enables digital product teams to test new ideas in an accelerated and cost-effective way. With the global prototyping marketing estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.4% between 2022 and 2031, culminating in a value of US $15 billion, it is clear that more enterprises are recognising prototyping as a strategic investment that delivers significant commercial benefit and ROI.

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Adobe Illustrator for Beginners - Sketch to Vector Tutorial

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Adobe Illustrator for Beginners - Sketch to Vector Tutorial

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This introduction to drawing basics and concepts explains a few ways you can create edges and faces

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Introducing Drawing Basics and Concepts | SketchUp Help

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Drawing a model in 3D is different from drawing an image in 2D. This introduction to drawing basics and concepts explains a few ways you can create edges and faces (the basic entities of any SketchUp model). You also discover how the SketchUp inference engine helps you place those lines and faces on your desired axis.

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Technical drawings are a significant tool for designing and manufacturing products or structures. This webpage has everything you need to know about technical drawings

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What are technical drawings?

As the name suggests, technical drawing is the descriptive and accurate drawing of products, structures, or systems.

Drafting software or hand helps draft these drawings as needed. To convey significant information, we use Dimensions, annotations, and symbols.

Engineers, designers, and manufacturers use these technical drawings to share their ideas. They also use it to ensure accuracy and fulfil industry standards and requirements.

There are various sorts of technical designs available. To name some, we have mechanical, architectural, electrical, and civil engineering drawings. Each of these drawings comes with its own set of standards and norms.

Technical drawings are a significant tool for designing and manufacturing products or structures.

They also have a meaningful role in making sure that the building constructed comes out accurate, safe, and is cost-economic.

What is the need for Technical Drawings?

Technical drawings are important because of the following factors:
Communication:
Designers, engineers, and manufacturers use technical drawings to communicate and share their ideas and visuals.

These drawings provide a visual presentation of the product or structure, helping to convey every minute yet significant detail, such as dimensions, materials, and specifications.
Exactitude:
Technical drawings help with exact dimensions and tolerances. They ensure that the product or structure manufactured or constructed is accurate and meets all the required standards.
Record-keeping:
In general, we use technical drawings to store records of designing and manufacturing processes.

They store a product or structure's history, which is then used for maintenance, repair, and replacement.
Safety:
Technical drawings guarantee that the products or structures you plan and build are under safety requirements. They provide vital information such as load-bearing capacity, structural integrity, and material specifications.
Cost-economic:
It can point out potential errors before construction or manufacturing starts. Technical drawings help avoid the extra expenses that can go into fixing the error.

Thus, you can make changes earlier in the design process, saving time and money in the long run.

When dealing with technical drawings, use the following fundamental concepts and terms:
Types of Technical Drawings:
We can categorize Technical drawings into many types:

mechanical,

architectural,

electrical,

and civil engineering drawings.

Scale:
We often use a specific scale to make technical drawings. This scale allows the viewer to understand the relationship between the drawing and the actual size of the product or structure.

We can represent this scale as a ratio of 1:50 or 1/4 inch = 1 foot.
View:
The technical drawing may present a new view of the same object from various angles, such as top, front, and side views.

These different views of the same object give a descriptive presentation and give an idea of its size and dimensions.
Dimensions:
We use dimensions, such as an object's length, breadth, and height, as the measurements of technical designs.

Symbols and lines often depict dimensions. They show the product's tolerance limits and precision.
Symbols:
Symbols are graphical representations of specific products, structural elements, or materials. Welding, electrical, and architectural symbols are examples of symbols.
Title block:
In technical drawings, the title block is that section that delivers relative information. This information includes title, author, date, and revision history.
Drawing standard:
Last but not least, the drawing standards. Technical drawings must follow specific industry standards to maintain uniformity and correctness. These requirements may differ based on the type of drawing and the industry in which it is used.

How to Create Accurate And Reliable Technical Drawings in Manufacturing

To create the Technical Drawing in Manufacturing, one must have fast hands to ensure accuracy, clarity, and precision. When generating technical drawings for manufacturing, consider the following steps:
Have a clear understanding of requirements:
Before starting to draft the technical designs, the maker must have a clear and firm grip on understanding the requirements of the system or product.

These requirements include dimensions, materials, and other specifications that must be correctly used in the drawing.
Make the right choice of software or tool:
To draft technical drawings, there is a wide range of software and tools available, such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or SketchUp.

Select the tool that fits a particular type of drawing and the one that fulfils the project's requirements.
Use standard conventions:
We use conventional conventions to depict dimensions, symbols, and other features in technical drawings.

To maintain consistency and accuracy, adhere to the following guidelines.
Always begin with a rough sketch:
Making the first move with a concept drawing or rough sketch plays a major role in laying out. It helps in making a much more accurate technical drawing.

This one step can lead you to work on your errors and find a way to fix them initially.
Give more concern to clarity:
Technical drawings should be clear and easy to understand. Use a uniform style for lines, text, and symbols, and mark all drawing elements explicitly.
Include all relevant information:
You must include dimensions, materials, tolerances, and other parameters in technical drawings. This ensures that you are correctly constructing the product or structure.
Test the accuracy:
Whether your technical drawing is 100% accurate or not, we can not say only through an accuracy test before finalising your copy.

Look closely at all the dimensions and specifications to ensure accuracy. Also, check if the drawing matches the project's scale of requirements.

Drafting an accurate and precise technical drawing in manufacturing demands knowledge, required skills, and a firm grip on the specifications.

Once you follow the steps mentioned above and keep practising, the technical drawing will always be accurate and crystal clear and will fulfil every need of the product demanded.

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Everything You Need To Know About Technical Drawings

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Discover the essentials of technical drawings and elevate your design skills with our comprehensive guide. Perfect for beginners.

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Cardboard Prototyping

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Glowforge Cardboard Prototyping - Save up to 90% in Material Cost - Glowforge Tutorial

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Laser cutters for packaging design | Trotec Laser

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✓ Packaging design ✓ Laser cutting, perforating and scoring ✓ Creating prototypes or small batches made of wood, paper, corrugated board or cardboard. Get more information now!

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Some

creative ways cardboard can be used in the building process, covering techniques for cutting, shaping and combining the material, along with the many tools that can be used to help in this process.

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I recently wrote about some creative ways cardboard can be used in the building process, covering techniques for cutting, shaping and combining the material, along with the many tools that can be used to help in this process.

But I sometimes find, particularly with smaller children, that cutting cardboard from scratch can be a barrier to design in a couple of ways. First, when given a blank page (or cardboard sheet in this case), not every child is ready to bring their imagination to life. They need inspiration, examples, or prompts. I equate it to story starters, like "Once upon a time..." or "There once was a girl who..." or "It was a dark and stormy night..."

The second reason cutting the cardboard can be a barrier is merely due to hand strength. Even with the newest innovative tools available to them, some students struggle with the actual act of cutting. This can bring about frustration, and while some of that is good for the soul, it can also be a turn off to creativity, especially when the time is limited.

For both of these reasons, I felt the need to create ready-made cardboard "story starters" so that students could quickly design, assemble and test their creations. I cut these wafers on our school laser cutter so that lines are precise. I use them in combination with a large assortment of other materials, in addition to just plain cardboard.

To get what I needed, I hopped into Adobe Illustrator and started with some simple designs. I was inspired by Katie Henry's work at Birdbrain Tech, where I saw her use simple cardboard squares with a line cut from one side to center, so learners could interlock these flat pieces into 3-dimensional blocks on the way to integrating robotics into creatures they built themselves. Since I was in the middle of my own Hummingbird robotics unit, I began with just that.

After creating one kind of square, I thought it might help to enable users to connect to multiple sides of the square, or to the corners for that matter. Then I moved on to circles. I also needed longer, flat pieces, that might serve as a creature's spine, or long legs. Legs? If they have legs, then they are going to need feet. So feet came next. And if you have feet, you need hands! Along the way, I added small holes for LEDs, pipe cleaners, straws, or brads.

As you can imagine, the possibilities for different shapes are limitless. However, like LEGO® bricks, my goal is not to zap the creativity out of my students, but rather foster it by leaving the door open to more thought and imagination, to more that the learner can do on her own. I just needed a kickstart.

I must admit, however, that even as I write this, I am thinking of more shapes to add to the library.

Here are some examples (in PDF format) which you can download to try out. I've made them in two colors, and I cut the black lines first. This method allows me to cut the smaller parts precisely, then finish off with each shape's perimeter.

Cardboard Wafer Designs

Squares and Circles, Small squares and circles, Spines, Feet, and Hands

To see these in action, here's a quick video:

I'd love to hear from you if you decide to use these in your projects. If you've thought of other ways to reuse ready-found material like cardboard, I would love to hear that too.

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Rapid Prototyping with Laser Cut Cardboard Wafers

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I recently wrote about some creative ways cardboard can be used in the building process, covering techniques for cutting, shaping and combining the material, along with the many tools that can be used to help in this process. But I sometimes find, particularly with smaller children, that cutting cardboard from scratch can be a barrier to...

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Found in MOODLE week 8 ONLINE COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING

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MOODLE- Week 8 - PowerPoint - slide 6

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How to create DXF files that can be executed on CNC machines from Fusion 360

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How to create DXF files that can be executed on CNC machines from Fusion 360. To create DXF files that can be executed on CNC machines from Fusion 360, do the following: From Design workspace, create a 2D/3D sketch that represents the profile to be machined. Go to Manufacturing workspace and create a Setup. From 2D tab, select Trace toolpath strategy. Select a tool and select the profile created at step 1. Calculate toolpath related to tool center (or select the needed side)

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How to prepare files for CNC router Fusion360

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[EN] How to prepare files for CNC router Fusion360

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What is problem-based learning?

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a style of teaching that encourages students to become the drivers of their learning process. Problem-based learning involves complex learning issues from real-world problems and makes them the classroom's topic of discussion; encouraging students to understand concepts through problem-solving skills rather than simply learning facts. When schools find time in the curriculum for this style of teaching it offers students an authentic vehicle for the integration of knowledge.

Embracing this pedagogical approach enables schools to balance subject knowledge acquisition with a skills agenda. Often used in medical education, this approach has equal significance in mainstream education where pupils can apply their knowledge to real-life problems.

PBL is not only helpful in learning course content, but it can also promote the development of problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and communication skills while providing opportunities to work in groups, find and analyse research materials, and take part in life-long learning.

PBL is a student-centred teaching method in which students understand a topic by working in groups. They work out an open-ended problem, which drives the motivation to learn. These sorts of theories of teaching do require schools to invest time and resources into supporting self-directed learning. Not all curriculum knowledge is best acquired through this process, rote learning still has its place in certain situations. In this article, we will look at how we can equip our students to take more ownership of the learning process and utilise more sophisticated ways for the integration of knowledge.

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Philosophical Underpinnings of PBL

Problem-Based Learning (PBL), with its roots in the philosophies of John Dewey, Maria Montessori, and Jerome Bruner, aligns closely with the social constructionist view of learning. This approach positions learners as active participants in the construction of knowledge, contrasting with traditional models of instruction where learners are seen as passive recipients of information.

Dewey, a seminal figure in progressive education, advocated for active learning and real-world problem-solving, asserting that learning is grounded in experience and interaction. In PBL, learners tackle complex, real-world problems, which mirrors Dewey's belief in the interconnectedness of education and practical life.

Montessori also endorsed learner-centric, self-directed learning, emphasizing the child's potential to construct their own learning experiences. This parallels with PBL's emphasis on self-directed learning, where students take ownership of their learning process.

Jerome Bruner's theories underscored the idea of learning as an active, social process. His concept of a 'spiral curriculum' - where learning is revisited in increasing complexity - can be seen reflected in the iterative problem-solving process in PBL.

Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) framework aligns with PBL as it encourages higher-order cognitive skills. The complex tasks in PBL often demand analytical and evaluative skills (Webb's DOK levels 3 and 4) as students engage with the problem, devise a solution, and reflect on their work.

The effectiveness of PBL is supported by psychological theories like the information processing theory, which highlights the role of active engagement in enhancing memory and recall. A study by Strobel and Van Barneveld (2009) found that PBL students show improved retention of knowledge, possibly due to the deep cognitive processing involved.

As cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham aptly puts it, "Memory is the residue of thought." PBL encourages learners to think critically and deeply, enhancing both learning and retention.

Here's a quick overview:

1. John Dewey: Emphasized learning through experience and the importance of problem-solving.

2. Maria Montessori: Advocated for child-centered, self-directed learning.

3. Jerome Bruner: Underlined learning as a social process and proposed the spiral curriculum.

4. Webb's DOK: Supports PBL's encouragement of higher-order thinking skills.

5. Information Processing Theory: Reinforces the notion that active engagement in PBL enhances memory and recall.

This deep-rooted philosophical and psychological framework strengthens the validity of the problem-based learning approach, confirming its beneficial role in promoting valuable cognitive skills and fostering positive student learning outcomes.

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What are the characteristics of problem-based learning?

Adding a little creativity can change a topic into a problem-based learning activity. The following are some of the characteristics of a good PBL model:

The problem encourages students to search for a deeper understandingof content knowledge;

Students are responsible for their learning. PBL has a student-centred learning approach. Students' motivation increases when responsibility for the process and solution to the problem rests with the learner;

The problem motivates pupils to gain desirable learning skills and to defend well-informed decisions;

The problem connects the content learning goals with the previous knowledge. PBL allows students to access, integrate and study information from multiple disciplines that might relate to understanding and resolving a specific problem-just as persons in the real world recollect and use the application of knowledge that they have gained from diverse sources in their life.

In a multistage project, the first stage of the problem must be engaging and open-ended to make students interested in the problem. In the real world, problems are poorly-structured. Research suggests that well-structured problems make students less invested and less motivated in the development of the solution. The problem simulations used in problem-based contextual learning are less structured to enable students to make a free inquiry.

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In a group project, the problem must have some level of complexity that motivates students towards knowledge acquisition and to work together for finding the solution. PBL involves collaboration between learners. In professional life, most people will find themselves in employment where they would work productively and share information with others. PBL leads to the development of such essential skills. In a PBL session, the teacher would ask questions to make sure that knowledge has been shared between pupils;

At the end of each problem or PBL, self and peer assessments are performed. The main purpose of assessments is to sharpen a variety of metacognitive processing skills and to reinforce self-reflective learning.

Student assessments would evaluate student progress towards the objectives of problem-based learning. The learning goals of PBL are both process-based and knowledge-based. Students must be assessed on both these dimensions to ensure that they are prospering as intended from the PBL approach. Students must be able to identify and articulate what they understood and what they learned.

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Why is Problem-based learning a significant skill?

Using Problem-Based Learning across a school promotes critical competence, inquiry, and knowledge application in social, behavioural and biological sciences. Practice-based learning holds a strong track record of successful learning outcomes in higher education settings such as graduates of Medical Schools.

Educational models using PBL can improve learning outcomes by teaching students how to implement theory into practice and build problem-solving skills. For example, within the field of health sciences education, PBL makes the learning process for nurses and medical students self-centred and promotes their teamwork and leadership skills. Within primary and secondary education settings, this model of teaching, with the right sort of collaborative tools, can advance the wider skills development valued in society.

At Structural Learning, we have been developing a self-assessment tool designed to monitor the progress of children. Utilising these types of teaching theories curriculum wide can help a school develop the learning behaviours our students will need in the workplace.

Curriculum wide collaborative tools include Writers Block and the Universal Thinking Framework. Along with graphic organisers, these tools enable children to collaborate and entertain different perspectives that they might not otherwise see. Putting learning in action by using the block building methodology enables children to reach their learning goals by experimenting and iterating.

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How is problem-based learning different from inquiry-based learning?

The major difference between inquiry-based learningand PBL relates to the role of the teacher. In the case of inquiry-based learning, the teacher is both a provider of classroom knowledge and a facilitator of student learning (expecting/encouraging higher-order thinking). On the other hand, PBL is a deep learning approach, in which the teacher is the supporter of the learning process and expects students to have clear thinking, but the teacher is not the provider of classroom knowledge about the problem-the responsibility of providing information belongs to the learners themselves.

As well as being used systematically in medical education, this approach has significant implications for integrating learning skills into mainstream classrooms.

Using a critical thinking disposition inventory, schools can monitor the wider progress of their students as they apply their learning skills across the traditional curriculum. Authentic problems call students to apply their critical thinking abilities in new and purposeful ways. As students explain their ideas to one another, they develop communication skills that might not otherwise be nurtured.

Depending on the curriculum being delivered by a school, there may well be an emphasis on building critical thinking abilities in the classroom. Within the International Baccalaureate programs, these life-long skills are often cited in the IB learner profile. Critical thinking dispositions are highly valued in the workplace and this pedagogical approach can be used to harness these essential 21st-century skills.

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What are the Benefits of Problem-Based Learning?

Student-led Problem-Based Learning is one of the most useful ways to make students drivers of their learning experience. It makes students creative, innovative, logical and open-minded. The educational practice of Problem-Based Learning also provides opportunities for self-directed and collaborative learning with others in an active learning and hands-on process. Below are the most significant benefits of problem-based learning processes:

1. Self-learning: As a self-directed learning method, problem-based learning encourages children to take responsibility and initiative for their learning processes. As children use creativity and research, they develop skills that will help them in their adulthood.

2. Engaging: Students don't just listen to the teacher, sit back and take notes. Problem-based learning processes encourages students to take part in learning activities, use learning resources, stay active, think outside the box and apply critical thinking skills to solve problems.

3. Teamwork: Most of the problem-based learning issues involve students collaborative learning to find a solution. The educational practice of PBL builds interpersonal skills, listening and communication skills and improves the skills of collaboration and compromise.

4. Intrinsic Rewards: In most problem-based learning projects, the reward is much bigger than good grades. Students gain the pride and satisfaction of finding an innovative solution, solving a riddle, or creating a tangible product.

5. Transferable Skills: The acquisition of knowledge through problem-based learning strategies don't just help learners in one class or a single subject area. Students can apply these skills to a plethora of subject matter as well as in real life.

6. Multiple Learning Opportunities: A PBL model offers an open-ended problem-based acquisition of knowledge, which presents a real-world problem and asks learners to come up with well-constructed responses. Students can use multiple sources such as they can access online resources, using their prior knowledge, and asking momentous questions to brainstorm and come up with solid learning outcomes. Unlike traditional approaches, there might be more than a single right way to do something, but this process motivates learners to explore potential solutions whilst staying active.

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Embracing problem-based learning

Problem-based learning can be seen as a deep learning approach and when implemented effectively as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, a successful teaching strategy in education. PBL has a solid epistemological and philosophical foundation and a strong track record of success in multiple areas of study. Learners must experience problem-based learning methods and engage in positive solution-finding activities. PBL models allow learners to gain knowledge through real-world problems, which offers more strength to their understanding and helps them find the connection between classroom learning and the real world at large.

As they solve problems, students can evolve as individuals and team-mates. One word of caution, not all classroom tasks will lend themselves to this learning theory. Take spellings, for example, this is usually delivered with low-stakes quizzing through a practice-based learning model. PBL allows students to apply their knowledge creatively but they need to have a certain level of background knowledge to do this, rote learning might still have its place after all.
Key Concepts and considerations for school leaders
1. Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational method that involves active student participation in solving authentic problems. Students are given a task or question that they must answer using their prior knowledge and resources. They then collaborate with each other to come up with solutions to the problem. This collaborative effort leads to deeper learning than traditional lectures or classroom instruction.

Key question: Inside a traditional curriculum, what opportunities across subject areas do you immediately see?

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2. Deep Learning

Deep learning is a term used to describe the ability to learn concepts deeply. For example, if you were asked to memorize a list of numbers, you would probably remember the first five numbers easily, but the last number would be difficult to recall. However, if you were taught to understand the concept behind the numbers, you would be able to remember the last number too.

Key question: How will you make sure that students use a full range of learning styles and learning skills?

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3. Epistemology

Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of knowledge. It examines the conditions under which something counts as knowledge.

Key question: As well as focusing on critical thinking dispositions, what subject knowledge should the students understand?

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4. Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general truths about human life. Philosophers examine questions such as "What makes us happy?", "How should we live our lives?", and "Why does anything exist?"

Key question: Are there any opportunities for embracing philosophical enquiry into the project to develop critical thinking abilities?

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5. Curriculum

A curriculum is a set of courses designed to teach specific subjects. These courses may include mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, etc.

Key question: How will subject leaders ensure that the integrity of the curriculum is maintained?

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6. Broad and Balanced Curriculum

Broad and balanced curricula are those that cover a wide range of topics. Some examples of these types of curriculums include AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP English Language, AP Physics 1, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Literature, AP Statistics, AP US History, AP World History, IB Diploma Programme, IB Primary Years Program, IB Middle Years Program, IB Diploma Programme.

Key question: Are the teachers who have identified opportunities for a problem-based curriculum?

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7. Successful Teaching Strategy

Successful teaching strategies involve effective communication techniques, clear objectives, and appropriate assessments. Teachers must ensure that their lessons are well-planned and organized. They must also provide opportunities for students to interact with one another and share information.

Key question: What pedagogical approaches and teaching strategies will you use?

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8. Positive Solution Finding

Positive solution finding is a type of problem-solving where students actively seek out answers rather than passively accept what others tell them.

Key question: How will you ensure your problem-based curriculum is met with a positive mindset from students and teachers?

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9. Real World Application

Real-world application refers to applying what students have learned in class to situations that occur in everyday life.

Key question: Within your local school community, are there any opportunities to apply knowledge and skills to real-life problems?

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10. Creativity

Creativity is the ability to think of ideas that no one else has thought of yet. Creative thinking requires divergent thinking, which means thinking in different directions.

Key question: What teaching techniques will you use to enable children to generate their own ideas?

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11. Teamwork

Teamwork is the act of working together towards a common goal. Teams often consist of two or more people who work together to achieve a shared objective.

Key question: What opportunities are there to engage students in dialogic teaching methods where they talk their way through the problem?

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Knowledge transfer occurs when teachers use their expertise to help students develop skills and abilities.

Key question: Can teachers be able to track the success of the project using improvement scores?

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13. Active Learning

Active learning is any form of instruction that engages students in the learning process. Examples of active learning include group discussions, role-playing, debates, presentations, and simulations.

Key question: Will there be an emphasis on learning to learn and developing independent learning skills?

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14. Student Engagement

Student engagement is the degree to which students feel motivated to participate in academic activities.

Key question: Are there any tools available to monitor student engagement during the problem-based curriculum?

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Problem based learning: a teacher's guide

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Find out how teachers use problem-based learning models to improve engagement and drive attainment.