Taking CalcPlot3D to the Next Dimension: Creating 3D Printed Learning Materials

该项目旨在满足STEM学生在微积分方面取得成功的国家需求，使他们能够通过动手的、物理的3D探索来加深对三维(3D)概念的理解。尽管在屏幕上可视化3D概念可以为学生提供一些洞察力，但学生仍然经常发现这一过程具有挑战性。学生可以通过与3D打印物理模型进行有指导的动手交互来获得更多洞察力。这个合作项目的研究人员是门罗社区学院(LEAD)、俄克拉荷马大学和美国空军学院的教职员工，他们将在之前的CalcPlot3D合作项目(美国国家科学基金会#1524968-LEAD)的基础上开发、实施和学习指导性学习活动和创新的、教学设计的双色3D打印模型。该项目的另一个组成部分将提供教学资源，包括How-to视频，并为教师提供脚手架培训，以促进他们在课堂上融入和创建3D模型。与这些活动相结合，项目研究将提供见解，以确定和告知教师如何利用3D模型来增强学生对3D问题和概念的可视化和理解。该项目将有一个相互交织的双重重点，即学生学习和教师专业发展。该项目的基本愿景是开发资源并确定最佳实践，以(I)在课堂上有效地实施使用3D打印表面的活动，以提高学生对3D微积分问题和概念的兴趣、直觉、可视化、学习和理解，以及(Ii)为这一领域的教师提供专业发展。该项目有五个主要目标。首先是扩展CalcPlot3D中的3D打印功能，并研究各种打印技术和打印介质，以开发创新的、具有教学用途的3D打印表面和实体。第二是开发和课堂测试一系列的学习活动--使用3D打印的表面和实体--包括引导性的探索问题、生成3D模型的文件和教师指南。第三是制作一系列How-to视频和在线教程，教教员如何使用CalcPlot3D生成他们自己的3D打印表面。第四，通过将3D打印模型明确连接到CalcPlot3D数字图像，支持学生的学习活动，帮助学生可视化。最后，调查人员将进行教育研究，以确定这些新材料和方法对学生学习的影响，以及具有CalcPlot3D经验的教师如何在其多变量微积分教学中使用3D打印模型。项目组将通过各种场所，包括会议展览和讲习班，传播项目材料和调查结果。最佳实践的确定将通过利用形成性和终结性反馈的多年混合方法研究调查来汇聚，并将包括开发和测试课堂活动和材料以及教师专业发展资源。这种双重调查方法将包括对参与者的活动和绩效数据进行相关性分析，并研究课堂教师如何思考和使用3D打印模型以及基于这些模型的学习活动。最终，该项目将提供一个免费的工具，用于教授和学习3D问题和概念，这些问题和概念将延伸到微积分以外的其他STEM学科和课程。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project aims to serve the national need for STEM students to succeed in calculus by enabling them to develop a deeper understanding of three-dimensional (3D) concepts through hands-on, physical 3D explorations. Although visualizing 3D concepts on a screen can provide students with some insight, students often still find this process challenging. Additional insight can be gained by students through the use of guided hands-on interactions with physical 3D-printed models. The investigators for this collaborative project are faculty at Monroe Community College (Lead), the University of Oklahoma, and the United States Air Force Academy who will build on a previous CalcPlot3D collaborative project (NSF#1524968-Lead) to develop, implement, and study guided learning activities and innovative, pedagogically-designed, two-color 3D-printed models. An additional component of the project will provide instructional resources, including how-to videos, and scaffolded training for faculty to facilitate their incorporation and creation of 3D models for use in the classroom. In conjunction with these activities, project research will provide insights to determine and inform how instructors leverage 3D models to enhance student visualization and understanding of 3D problems and concepts.The project will have an interwoven dual emphasis, namely student learning and faculty professional development. The underlying vision of the project is to develop resources and determine best practices for (i) implementing activities using 3D-printed surfaces effectively in the classroom to enhance student interest, intuition, visualization, learning, and understanding of 3D calculus problems and concepts and (ii) providing professional development for faculty in this realm. The project has five major goals. First is to expand the 3D printing features in CalcPlot3D and investigate various print techniques and print media to develop innovative, pedagogically useful 3D-printed surfaces and solids. Second is to develop and class-test a series of learning activities - with guided exploration questions, files to generate 3D models, and an instructor's guide - using 3D-printed surfaces and solids. Third is to create a series of how-to videos and online tutorials to teach faculty how to generate their own 3D-printed surfaces using CalcPlot3D. Fourth is to support student learning activities and help students’ visualization by explicitly connecting 3D-printed models to CalcPlot3D digital images. Lastly, the investigators will conduct educational research to determine the impact of these new materials and approaches on student learning and how instructors with CalcPlot3D experience make use of 3D-printed models in their multivariable calculus instruction. The project team will disseminate project materials and findings through various venues including conference exhibits and workshops. The determination of best practices will converge through a multi-year, mixed methods research investigation utilizing formative and summative feedback, and will include development and testing classroom activities and materials and faculty professional development resources. This dual investigative approach will include correlation analysis of participant activity and performance data and a study of how classroom instructors reflect on and employ use of the 3D-printed models and learning activities based on those models. Ultimately, the project will provide a free tool for teaching and learning 3D problems and concepts that will extend to other STEM disciplines and courses beyond calculus. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.