Thingiverse - 3D Printers for Creative Literature Analysis

The idea of a makerspace makes me feel excited about the many possibilities for instruction and discovery. “Makers are people who make things rather than simply use them. They apply digital and manual skills to solve problems and create items that address their needs” (Canino-Fluit, 2014, p.21). I enjoyed researching the many ways that makerspaces can benefit in STEM instruction, but the blog that stood out to me was from Edutopia and related makerspaces to English and humanities instruction. Problems exist in every field, and makerspaces can provide ways for creative solutions to even abstract ideas like literature analysis.


Makerspaces are natural fits for science, robotics and more, but how could a makerspace connect with English? The Edutopia blog offers suggestions! The blog at: https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-makerspace-english-and-humanities-instruction outlines how a 3D printer could be used to print book symbols. Students could create a 3D version of a symbol in literature and use a program such as Thingiverse to turn the symbol into a printed reality on a Makerbot printer. The education section of the Thingiverse website provides lessons and ideas that could be used in a library setting for different grade ranges, including higher education. While a 3D printer would be a significant investment for a Makerspace, reading about creative ways that a 3D printer could be used beyond STEM education made the cost seem more reasonable.


I am excited to continue thinking about ways that Makerspaces can be used in a school library setting. “Making is context-specific. What we make, and the tools with which we make it, are deeply influenced by who we serve and the goals we have for and with them“ (Fontichiaro, 2019, p.53). Every community has different needs, and librarians can address those needs in different ways. I’m excited to continue seeing different ways 3D printing and applications like Thingiverse could be used to promote learning and discovery to meet different communities’ needs.

Sources:
Canino - Fluit, A. A. (2014). School Library Makerspaces. Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 21-27.

Fontichiaro, K. What I’ve Learned from 7 years of the Maker Movement in Schools and Libraries. Teacher Librarian. 46(4), 51-53.