3D Printing and Mask Accessories
                                                        By:  Ian Overway

Project at a Glance :

This project asked students to develop empathy for hearing impaired students while developing their 3D CAD and Printing Skills.  Students will use the Design Thinking Process to design and develop facemask accessories that keep mask straps off the ears and hearing aids of students who are hearing impaired to prevent feedback and discomfort.
       
 
Driving Question:

How might we leverage our 3D Printing capabilities to make mask accessories for students with hearing aids?              

Standards:

• Problem Solving
• Ethical Citizenship
• Communication 
• 3D CAD 

Team / Culture Building:​

• Creative DNA Scenario 

Entry Event:

• ​3D Printer Gallery Walk

Stakeholders:

• Students with hearing aids
• Parents of students with hearing aids
• Anyone whose ears are irritated by the ear straps?

Empathy Building:

• Create Empathy Maps for various mask users
• Love Letters/break up Letters

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Interview Stakeholders asking:  How does wearing a mask effect students with hearing aids?  Do all makes effect students with hearing aids the same?What is school like for students with hearing aids during COVID?​

• Conduct an Artifact Analysis

Incubation:

• Share Famous Failures to encourage risk taking 
• What if  . . . Were . . . ?  protocol
• Idea Quota protocol​

• Yes, and can it ...?
• Brain writing
• Fast Verb ​
• Conduct the The Anti-Problem ​protocol

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Solution Building:

• ​NUF Test
• $100 Test
• Name the Idea
• Dot Voting - use 2-3 votes to choose your favorite ideas
• Answer the question - How can you merge the ideas together (Remind students often- Who are you solving this idea for?)  
• Bracketology

Critique and Revision: 

•  Answer the questions:  What features might matter to our users? Durability?Comfort? Color?
• Check Ins including Fireside Chats, Glow & Grow,  +’s and Deltas throughout the project
• Practice Pitch with peers for feedback

Authentic Audience:

• Parents
• Teachers
•  Students at Northview Elementary audiology classroom​

Final Presentation:

•  Students will be able to create prototypes that they will pitch during our “Market Days” setting.
• Pitches may also be done using video presentations such as Flipgrid.
• Students may include the physical prototype, 3D print, the failed previous prints, and the design blueprints.​

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

•  Students will use a rubric to assess themselves and each other, as well as, a rubric to assess other teams prototypes. ​​

Click here for the  teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet.

Meet the Educator:
Ian Overway teaches STEM at White Pines Intermediate School, Grand Haven Public Schools. 

     PBL puts traditional curriculum into a more applicable real-world context.  This is more engaging for students and also allows students to include more of their own voice and choice in the project.  Finally, it also enhances students' soft skills as well as their background or content knowledge. All of these factors better prepared our kids to be college or career ready in the 21st century post their k-12 experience."