Abstract:

The Maker@Scuola project, by INDIRE Institute, has joined the national call to provide protective medical devices in situations where the supply of standard material was not possible due to shortages of raw materials or stock.

By exploiting the experience gained during the 6 years of research on 3D printers at school (Guasti & Rosa eds., 2017) INDIRE has started a research and development action aimed at optimizing a protective visor for qualified operators personally involved in Covid departments (anaesthesia, intensive care, first aid) focusing on the following parameters:
• Ergonomics
• Protective capacity
• Quality of materials
• Simplicity of production

We opted for a solution involving the use of 3D printers (available in the INDIRE laboratory) and laser cutting (available from qualified partners).
The research was based on the prototyping of an optimal model using the Think-Make-Improve design cycle (Martinez and Stager, 2013), relating directly with doctors, improving the model produced in a cycle way. The second phase involved three actions:
• Make the set of downloadable files public;
• Document all the work done;
• Start a stable relationship with a Higher Professional Institute, ITS Prime in Florence, in order to transform the prototype into an industrial product.

The areas of research that have currently been activated are:
• Design a optimized 3D printable support for the visor
• Protetion Mask materials
• Neoprene gasket or similar
• Visor
• Elastic
• Coordination with makers and schools: (http://medialab.makery.info/en/covid-19-italian-makers-take-action/).
• Simulated Enterprise.

As far as the latter point is concerned, the project is particularly interesting because it embraces the field of problem based learning (Jonassen D. H., 2004) as it is aimed at solving a homework based on a reality problem (Zecca, 2016) of topicality and urgency. This task is fulfilled with the use of 3D printers, technology that INDIRE has been studying since 2014 where teachers have been taught how to insert the 3D printer in the educational paths of their schools by applying new methods of laboratory teaching that improve the approach to the problem, help to solve it and facilitate error management in perfect Think-Make-Improve philosophy.

References:
[1] Martinez, S. L. & Stager, G (2013). Invent to learn: making thinkering and engineering in the classroom. Torrance (CA): Constructing Modern Knowledge Press
[2] Guasti, L. & Rosa, A. eds. (2017), Maker@Scuola. Stampanti 3D nella scuola dell’infanzia. Firenze: Assopiù Editore
[3] Di Stasio, M., Guasti, L., Niewint-Gori, J., & Nulli, G. (2017). Looking for good practices of teaching and learning with 3D print in primary school. In Conference Proceedings. The Future of Education (p. 148). libreriauniversitaria. it Edizioni.
[4] Di Stasio, M., Guasti, L., Niewint-Gori, J., & Nulli, G. (2019). Primaria 3D. Gamification, riflessione e didattica curricolare in ottica making. Scuola democratica, 10(3), 593-608.
[5] Jonassen, D. H. (2004). Learning to solve problems: An instructional design guide (Vol. 6). John Wiley & Sons.
[6] Zecca, L. (2016). Didattica laboratoriale e formazione. Bambini e insegnanti in ricerca. Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Keywords:

3D Printing, Maker education, Covid19 emergency, laser cutting.