3D PRINTING ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: MULTIPLE APPROACHES TOWARDS SELF-LEARNING OF ENGINEERING DESIGN STUDENTS

This paper presents an exploratory study conducted at two Higher Education Engineering Schools, namely in the Lapland University of Applied Sciences ( Finland) and in the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco (Portugal), with the aim of constructing digital learning environments that promote increasing learning autonomy to students working with 3D printing technologies in engineering design. Based on pilot blended learning experiences carried-out in both schools, new instructional design solutions are proposed and discussed, aiming at a widespread use of such digital platforms not only for blended and online learning processes in engineering schools, but also as Massive Open Online Courses open to wider communities interested in such technologies.