3D Education for Children

On December 13, 2018, students from the Faculty of Economics at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences organized an event on the topic of 3D printing at the Erfinderkiste Oderwitz. The event took place as part of the“Business Software”course taught by Prof. Dr. Keil.

The assignment was to plan an event in cooperation with regional providers to contribute to fulfilling the university’s third mission, which is to serve the Upper Lusatia region. The goal was to introduce interested children between the ages of 5 and 8 to 3D printing technology.

On the project day, a small Santa Claus figure was printed together with the children, and this was used to explain the functioning and design possibilities of a 3D printer in a child-friendly way.

In the afternoon, the topic of environmental protection—specifically regarding plastic —was explored through playful activities. The quiz that followed rounded out the program and encouraged the children to think critically. The creative aspect was not missing either. The young inventors were able to paint and decorate printed Christmas stars and Christmas trees.

Pure Christmas excitement!

The project was perceived as a complete success by everyone involved. Thanks to the new teaching concept, participants not only explored theoretical aspects but also gained practical experience in project management and new technologies. We believe that these new teaching methods will continue to be well-received by students in the coming years.

A special thank you goes to Erfinderkiste Oderwitz as a partner in the project for providing the young inventors and the venue.

We would also like to thank the sponsors for providing refreshments for the children, which included lemonade from the Menschel company in Hainewalde and pancakes from the Rönsch bakery. We would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Keil, Mr. Fallgatter, Ms. Matthieu, and Mr. Winkler for their support throughout the entire project.