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The group that does 3D digitization for the Smithsonian
actually met with educators
from all over the institution and they were really
interested in what I would call teachable objects
objects that told compelling stories, objects that could be more accessible
if they were reduced or increased in scale,
objects that could teach lessons that the public really wanted to learn.
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In the museum where I work less than one percent
of our collections items are on display for people to come and see
in exhibits, but we have another way of making the collections accessible
and that's via the Internet. And now we'll be able to share
3D data that could be printed somewhere else.
The 3D printing aspect is a major
motivational tool for teens.
They're very interested in being able to print
real objects from a set of data.
Whether they are people who we have read about who are now deceased,
or if they are historical figures who we have never met,
there's something about being able to come in contact with something that they've
held, touched, used, that makes us feel that we are
a part of their existence.
If students are using data sets to create their own
prints, they're obviously taking on
the science and technology end of it.
I think that there are a number of ways
that it'll enhance classroom learning.
The 3D viewer I think is going to be one
of those great things in the classroom.
One of the things that we work hard to teach students about
history is that it's always been told from multiple perspectives
and so the "Tour" tool will allow us to look at an object
in a bunch of different ways.
On the 3D viewer there will be what we're calling "hotspots" and they're
pin points to different pieces of the object. What it does
is it enables them to self guide.
What really excites me for the future is that we'd like to have
the tool be available as an authoring tool for students and teachers
so that students could be creating their own tours, making their own discoveries
and pretty much work right along side us at the Smithsonian
and do their own authentic work.
Teachers want access to the 3D data because
they want to help their students master the mathematical and technological
skills necessary for working with 3D because they know
that today's fifth graders in ten years are going to go into a world
where 3D data is gonna be part of their everyday life.
As our classrooms move to multidisciplinary
curriculum and lessons, this is just
one more way that they can bring all of the aspects of teaching together.
Teachers are really yearning to instruct in a more
integrated fashion and these kinds of projects with 3D
printing get students so excited and motivated.
I actually think it will revolutionize the way in which we teach.
We feel that this technology allows everyone to be as
inventive as they want to be and then they have the ability
to share what they have learned with others in a very easy and simple way.
I'm really excited to get feedback and to stay in communication with our
teacher and student community to find out what exciting creations
they're going to make with what we have.
We believe that solving the great problems of the world is in the hands of
every single person and that the more they have access
to the tools, the better we all will be
for their having learned how to use them and how to share them.