Implementing 3D Printing Education Through Technical Pedagogy and Curriculum Development

This study presents the development of a new pedagogical method, namely the model of technical pedagogy, for learning additive manufacturing (AM) due to the speed of the technological development. The speed of the technological development of AM is faster than of the educational one; curricula and teaching methods have to evolve all the time in order to keep up with the development. The implementation of AM into the mechanical engineering curriculum in Lapland university of applied sciences (Lapland UAS) in Finland is used as an example in this study. The aim and purpose of this study is to create a model of technical pedagogy which gives universities the possibility to integrate AM into their curriculum more efficiently. This happens by combining traditional pedagogy into technical subjects in curriculum development work. This study also presents the learning concept of AM which shows the learning to be inversely proportional to the requirements of AM. Identification of the learning process of AM help the educators to plan AM education more efficiently.