The East District Education Commission of Beijing City leads China and Beijing in creative education quality improvement for middle and primary school students. Beginning in the second half of 2014, the Commission responded to new Government policies on education reform by actively promoting 3D printing demonstration projects in middle and primary schools. 3D printing is now formally being taught in the Chinese classroom, step by step as key cutting-edge technology.
The first batch of 17 schools to participate:
Middle Schools
Guangqumen Middle School
Beijing 65th Middle School
Beijing 55th Middle School
Beijing 50th Middle School
Branch of Beijing 50th Middle School
Branch of Beijing 5th Middle School
Beijing 21th Middle School
Beijing 24th Middle School
Beijing First Middle School
Beijing 12th Middle School
Primary Schools
Beijing Shijia Alley Primary School
Beijing East District Hui People Primary School
Beijing Dengshikou Primary School
Beijing East District Gymnasium Road Primary School
Affiliated Primary School of Beijing First Normal School
Beijing Qianmen Primary School
Beijing Chongwen Primary School
Figure 1. 3D printing course classroom for “3D Originality” of Affiliated Primary School of Beijing First Normal School
After assessing domestic and international 3D printers, the Commission exclusively chose Tiertime’s UP Plus 2 desktop 3D printer. It will be used for teacher training and the preparation of course material, and Tiertime will provide guidance and service to schools during project execution.
Tiertime together with Zhongwang Software will implement weekly training on 3D printing techniques for the courses incorporated by different schools to enable teachers to instruct students in these applied technologies and specialties.
Director Wang of the Affiliated Primary School of the Beijing First Normal School said, “Now 3D printing is taught during information technology class for two hours every week, organized as an interesting community. With increasing student demand, we plan to transform it into a formal elementary course and add corresponding software and hardware facilities so more can students benefit from it.”
Teacher Li Ting added, “Students are very interested in such new things. 3D printing opens their imagination and creativity, extends their view, and greatly contributes to establishing 3D concepts.”
Teacher Xu Jing of Beijing 24th Middle School said, “Now students can independently complete the whole process from the design of a 3D printing file to final printing, which contributes extensively to their spatial imagination and practice capability. This course enables students to bravely create and realize their dreams so it can train their outlook and worldview well.”
Students from Beijing 24th Middle School see the creative design course as a valuable new opportunity, enhancing the development of their interests and aiding specialty selection in the future. The course should provide knowledge beyond the textbooks and offer rich software and hardware facilities.