Today MyStemKits launched on Kickstarter, with the goal of providing effective 3D prints for educators.
The project intends on fully leveraging the magic of 3D printing in classrooms, which up to now has really only been hinted at with current model repository efforts.
Consider Thingiverse, currently the world’s largest repository of printable 3D models, with approximately 500,000 items. Within that massive collection are perhaps hundreds of 3D models that would be highly useful in classrooms to teach various subjects.
The problem is finding them.
Thingiverse’s success derives from their open door policy for submission of new material. That’s caused it to grow hugely, but has led to challenges finding the right model for the job.
Educators, meanwhile, cannot spend their time searching through models, trying to assemble the “just right” collection for use in a specific project.
That’s what MyStemKits is trying to solve: they’re assembling what they consider to be the best 3D models for education and further they’re organizing them into “27 distinct lesson plans”. This is only the beginning as they indicate there are perhaps “hundreds” more in the works. They say:
Co-founders Laron Walker and Hannah Olson have been working with curriculum developers for the last year to develop a series of educational tools which uniquely leverage the power of 3D printing. From density cubes to loaded dice, balances, rockets and more, their wide selection of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) kits have all been printed on 3D printers and are being offered backed with curriculum.
Now an educator need only visit MyStemKits to obtain all the models required for a particular lesson.
Ideally educators would be able to download and print the models directly on their own equipment, but for now you’ll only order physical prints that will be mailed to teachers. However, it is in the works to release the full digital models so that everyone will be able to immediately access and print the parts for any lesson.
Via MyStemKits
