On January 3, 2020, we found a maker workshop—Joiner studio, which is open to high school students. This is an NGO consists of Beijing students. It has been conducting research and project work on 3D printing for several years.
Teaching in 3D printing modeling and production in many high schools in Beijing, it successfully provides a large number of blind teaching aids to local visually impaired students. Students said that 3D printed teaching aids are very useful. They have real feelings through touch, and can quickly make model gestures through imitation, and then practice repeatedly to establish the connection between sign language and abstract concepts.
3D printed teaching props for Map of China
Visually impaired education is part of special education. A large number of visually impaired schools lack durable, sophisticated and customized teaching aids. Due to insufficient funding, various types but low-volume of demands, most of the teaching aids are hand-made by teachers.
Joiner studio provides students with a large number of 3D printed teaching aids through FDM 3D printing technology, opened the door for those blind students to know the world. It is understood that Joiner studio is responsible for the planning and organization of teaching aids and activities for students. It is mainly composed of high school students from the International Department of Beijing No. 4 Middle School.
Students make 3D printed teaching props
The person in charge of Joiner studio said that the beginning of this idea was originally caused by the teacher saying that it is difficult for the visually impaired children to understand what they cannot see and touch. These students cannot see the ripples of the water waves. When climbing the mountain, their impression of the mountain is just a layer of stairs…
So what are the ways to make these children feel those intangible things? At this time, 3D printing technology showed a very important role. Joiner studio used the 3D printing technology that they have been focusing on research to carry out a series of project work for the needs of blind students.
3D printed map teaching props for students of non-profit organizations
Participants in the Joiner studio first analyzed and studied the difficulties of blind students in cognitive incomprehensibility, and then provided the results to the senior students of the International Department of Beijing Fourth High School. Students find matching models based on the open-source network, or use Meshmixer (professional modeling software) for model processing, design, etc. Finally, the ultimate data files are produced by 3D printers and finally brought to the visually impaired students.
The extremely fast workflow, coupled with the low cost, large variety, and high degree of freedom of 3D printing itself, quickly brought the gospel to students in blind schools. At the same time, for the participating high school students in Beijing, the project of making teaching aids for the blind students also brought new meaning to their 3D printing courses. They learned not only simple skills but also experience happiness when benefit society.
3D printed teaching props for the blind
There are also many self-designed models, such as China terrain map puzzles. Although there are some China map puzzles on the market, it is a pity that there are no terrain puzzles. Joiner Studio converts the grayscale maps of China into terrain puzzles through PS and FlashPrint. A magnetic sticker is pasted in the behind, and a card slot structure is formed on the surface of the model, and special braille can be pasted onto it.
“This market is almost blank, and there are not many teaching aids specially designed for visually impaired students … (3D printed model teaching aids) solve a social problem.” The person in charge of Joiner Studio said that the project’s response was beyond their expectations. “We will make more teaching aids in the future to help blind students in Beijing, in the country and even around the world.”
Here are some teaching aids made by Joiner studio:
