Technology and Students

Information and communication technology is about so much more than Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  Here are a few ideas to whet the appetite:


3D CAD (Computer Aided Design)

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Wow, that sure sounds complicated, right?  WRONG!!!  With the latest tools, 3D CAD is now being brought to students of all ages.  I've taught Google Sketchup (free!) to 7th graders.


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I've also taught a 3D package called SolidWorks to 9th & 10th graders.   
(FYI: SolidWorks is more for mechanical engineering while Sketchup is directed more at architecture.)

So, if you've been caught with 2D line drawings (in AutoCAD LT) then I encourage you to revitalize your teaching with these tools. 

And when you've finished the design on the computer, then don't just hand in the printed drawings, go build those models!!



Graphics

Ever wonder how to teach graphics without forking over thousands of dollars?  Here are my two favourites:

  

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The GIMP 
(raster graphics - pixels)

Awesome and powerful editor that (imho) does everything Photoshop can do.

  

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Inkscape 
(vector graphics - lines)

Think "slimmed down Adobe Illustrator".  Awesome, simple, effective, and the best built-in tutorials of any software I've ever used.

My student's first inkscape activity is here.



What is technology education?

Technology began with the wheel, the lever and even the knife and the bow and arrow.

  

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So, Tech Ed needs to be about so much more than "just using computers".  Why not follow the PRIDE problem solving model?

Lately, there has also been the incorporation of "Life Cycle Analysis" into this equation.  The acronym doesn't work so well, but it's still important to think about the natural resources we use and then discard!  Let's encourage students to think about the Story of Stuff.

 
 
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